Prostate news article, July 2008
ABIRATERONE Prostate UK guidance on the important press announcements in July 2008. Dr Heather Payne - Consultant
in Clinical Oncology, University College Hospital,
London |
 |
It is always good to read about advances in prostate cancer and this month there has been a lot of excitement in the press about a new drug called abiraterone. This has been shown to have some effect in men with advanced (metastatic) prostate cancer who have failed to respond to other treatments with hormones and chemotherapy.
Abiraterone is certainly a very promising new alternative in the management of advanced prostate cancer but it is still very early days to make some of the conclusions that have been printed in some newspapers.
These early results in a phase 1 study of 21 men has shown that abiraterone has some effect in improving the symptoms of advanced prostate cancer, reducing PSA levels and allowing these men to enjoy an improved quality of life for an average of 12 to 18 months, These are indeed very encouraging results and doctors and patients are very keen to investigate this drug further. Studies with large numbers of men with advanced prostate cancer who have progressed after hormone therapy and chemotherapy are now beginning. Men who are suitable for the studies will be randomised to the active drug abiraterone or a ‘dummy’ tablet (a placebo). The results will show exactly how effective abiraterone is in this stage of prostate cancer. It is too early to know what role abiraterone will have in treating earlier stages of the disease. We all hope that the early promise will be fulfilled and eagerly await the results of these larger studies
Other important coverage:
Robert Sandall - Journalist - The Sunday
Times
Follow this
link to an article by Robert Sandall in which he deplores
the recent over-hyping of the announcment by sections of the media.
(Appeared in The Sunday Times on 27th July 2008.)
Dr Thomas Stuttaford - Vice President of
Prostate UK
Follow this
link to an article by Dr Stuttaford which puts the announcement
into perspective (Appeared in Times 2 on 28th July 2008.)