Comparison of an LH-RH analogue (Goeserelin acetate, 'Zoladex') with combined androgen blockade in advanced prostate cancer: final survival results of an international multicentre randomized-trial. International Prostate Cancer Study Group.

OBJECTIVE

The aim of this study was to compare the effects of the nonsteroidal antiandrogen flutamide plus the LH-RH analogue goserelin acetate (combined androgen blockade [CAB]) with goserelin acetate alone in patients with advanced prostate cancer. The original analyses at 25 and 56 months of follow-up have been reported previously, and here we report the final survival analysis after 10 years of follow-up.

METHODS

589 patients with advanced prostate cancer (55% with metastatic [M1] and 45% with locally advanced [M0] disease) were randomized to receive goserelin acetate 3.6 mg either alone or in combination with flutamide (250 mg three times daily).

RESULTS

A total of 583 patients were included in the analysis. There was a small, but nonsignificant, benefit for CAB compared with goserelin acetate alone in all patients with respect to survival (hazard ratio 0.88, 95% CI 0.73, 1.06). Subgroup analysis of M0 and M1 patients showed similar results (M0: hazard ratio 0.92, 95% CI 0.68, 1.25; M1: hazard ratio 0.85, 95% CI 0.66, 1. 08). The treatment effect was not significantly different for M0 and M1 patients (p = 0.685).

CONCLUSIONS

In this large randomized trial containing significant numbers of M0 patients, after 10 years there was a small but nonsignificant benefit for CAB over castration alone.