Leuprorelin three-month depot in the treatment of advanced and metastatic prostate cancer: long-term follow-up results.

OBJECTIVES

To determine median survival time, median time to tumor progression and maintenance of testosterone suppression (i.e. < or = 50 ng/dl) during long-term treatment with subcutaneous injections of leuprorelin acetate 3-month depot (LAD-3M). In Germany 62 patients with advanced prostate cancer participated in a prospective, randomized, multicenter phase II trial as part of a European study. Of these, 37 patients entered the follow-up study.

METHODS

Standard clinical investigations and methods were employed in the study.

RESULTS

Twenty-five of the 62 (40.3%) patients died during the course of the study. No death had a causal relationship with the study drug. Median survival time, median time to tumor progression and median period of progression-free survival were 1,149 (3.1 years), 1,015 (2.8 years) and 680 days (1.9 years), respectively. Adequate suppression of testosterone serum levels to the castration range was confirmed. Objective and subjective response as well as the safety profile were comparable to previously published results with LAD-3M, LAD-1 M and other LHRH analogues.

CONCLUSIONS

The results of this follow-up study confirm long-term efficacy and safety of LAD-3M for treatment in advanced prostate cancer. LAD-3M is a suitable alternative to the established shorter-acting LHRH-a depot formulations.