Treatment of advanced carcinoma of the prostate with estramustine phosphate.

Estramustine phosphate has been useful in the treatment of advanced carcinoma of the prostate. Objective remissions were obtained with this therapy in 6 of 17 patients (35 per cent). The results presented herein indicate that the clinical response is to a certain extent caused by an estrogen effect, which was clearly demonstrable in a previously untreated patient. A specific cytostatic effect of estramustine phosphate, which is not yet clearly explained, may be responsible for remissions in some patients who have become resistant to conventional hormonal treatment.