Phase 3 randomized trial evaluating second-line hormonal therapy versus docetaxel-estramustine combination chemotherapy on progression-free survival in asymptomatic patients with a rising prostate-specific antigen level after hormonal therapy for prostate cancer: an Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group (E1899), Intergroup/Clinical Trials Support Unit study

Abstract

Despite improvements in early detection of prostate cancer when it is clinically localized--and therefore most amenable to curative local therapies-- approximately 33% of men with early prostate cancer will develop biochemical failure with a rising prostate-specific antigen (PSA) during follow-up. The early use of androgen suppression in this group of men has changed the clinical picture of androgen-independent disease. Now, there are men on androgen suppression who will develop biochemical failure and remain free of clinical or radiographic evidence of metastatic disease for a period of time. There is no standard approach to this group of men, who have a rising PSA on androgen deprivation, because there are little or no data about strategies that may improve survival, delay time to progression, or improve quality of life. Therefore, current management of this population remains controversial. In an effort to determine which of these 2 approaches--second-line hormone therapy or chemotherapy--is optimal in delaying the time to progression, the Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group (ECOG) developed protocol E1899. Although both approaches offer the potential for response (reduction in PSA and prolonging the time to clinical progression), they have very different toxicity profiles, making impact on quality of life another important end point. This randomized trial evaluating second-line hormonal therapy using ketoconazole and hydrocortisone versus docetaxel and estramustine combination chemotherapy on progression-free survival in asymptomatic men with a rising PSA on androgen ablation for prostate cancer is the subject of this article.