The antiandrogen withdrawal syndrome / 中华泌尿外科杂志

ABSTRACT

Objective To evaluate the occurrence of antiandrogen withdrawal syndrome in patients with advanced prostate cancer treated with combined androgen blockade. Methods 24 cases of advanced prostate cancer (10 in stage C and 14 in stage D) were retrospectively studied. All the patients have been treated with combined androgen blockade (bilateral orchiectomy and flutamide). After initial beneficial response to hormonal therapy (duration 7 to 36 months), the disease became progressing.Flutamide was then discontinued. Serum prostate specific antigen (PSA) levels and symptoms alterations were observed. Results Following withdrawal of flutamide, 8 patients showed a decline in PSA (mean 75%).In 6 the PSA declined more than 50%. Clinical symptoms improved in 4 patients and the prostate mass became smaller in 2. The mean duration of improvement was 4.3 months. Conclusions In patients with hormone refractory prostate cancer after initial combined androgen blockade, a trial of "antiandrogen withdrawal" is a reasonable therapeutic management prior to other more toxic therapies.