Preliminary clinical evaluation of leuprorelin acetate depot injection in France, in the management of prostatic cancer.

In a preliminary multicentre clinical trial of 3.75 mg leuprorelin acetate depot 18 previously untreated patients with metastatic prostatic cancer were treated with the depot given subcutaneously once every 4 weeks for 28 weeks. Patients also received 100 mg nilutamide taken orally three times a day for the first 14 days of treatment to prevent flare-up. Leuprorelin acetate suppressed the serum testosterone concentration to castration levels; luteinizing hormone levels were also suppressed. The incidence of progressive disease was low and partial response occurred in five patients after treatment. No side-effects were assigned to the flare-up period. It is concluded that leuprorelin acetate depot is a safe and efficacious treatment for metastatic prostatic cancer.