Androgen deprivation in prostate cancer: first do no harm
Mené sur 293 patients atteints d'un cancer de la prostate non curable et asymptomatique au moment du diagnostic, cet essai de phase III évalue les effets, sur la qualité de vie 5 ans après les traitements, d'une thérapie anti-androgénique initiée immédiatement ou de façon retardée
The use of androgen-deprivation therapy for treatment of non-metastatic, recurrent prostate cancer after local therapy is heavily debated, given the risks of treatment for the sake of controlling a disease that might not lead to life-threatening consequences. Findings from studies done almost 20 years ago had shown the survival benefits of early initiation of androgen-deprivation therapy compared with waiting for the appearance of symptoms or metastatic spread.1–3 Most of these landmark studies were done before the availability of testing for prostate-specific antigen (PSA), but nevertheless lead to widespread use of androgen-deprivation therapy in early, biochemically recurrent disease following local therapy.
The Lancet Oncology , commentaire, 2016