A critical assessment of the role of chemotherapy for endocrine-resistant prostatic carcinoma.

Extensive experience with chemotherapy in prostatic cancer has accumulated over the past several years. Assessment of antitumor activity is complicated by a lack of uniform and reproducible criteria in past studies and by difficulties in quantitating tumor mass. Overall, the data illustrate that therapeutic benefits have been marginal at best and survival of patients with endocrine-resistant disease is not affected by chemotherapy. Major efforts should focus on the development of new, effective chemotherapeutic approaches.