Endocrine Abstracts

INTRODUCTION

We assessed the long-term outcomes of patients managed with intermittent androgen suppression (IAS) following their enrolment in an open, non-randomised feasibility study initiated 10 years ago.

PATIENTS AND METHODS

All patients were required to have been managed with androgen suppression for a minimum of 9 months and achieved PSA remissions to levels <4ng/ml. Therapy was stopped and the patients remained off-treatment till PSA raised above 20 or they became symptomatic. On-off cycling continued till hormone resistant disease developed

RESULTS

75 patients were recruited. 86% remain alive at a median of 134 months since diagnosis. 34% of those with locally advanced or metastatic disease remain alive at a median of 46 months. We have calculated an overall 5 year actuarial survival rate of 84% and represents a significnt improvement when compared to continuous androgen suppression figures available from historical data.

CONCLUSION

Long-term outcome figures provide further support to those involved in the recruitment of patients to randomised trials of intermittent versus continuous androgen blockade.