Are non-steroidal anti-androgens appropriate as monotherapy in advanced prostate cancer?
Author(s): Boccon-Gibod L Affiliation(s): Clinique Urologique, Hopital Bichat, Paris, France. Publication date & source: 1998, Eur Urol., 33(2):159-64. Publication type: Review OBJECTIVES: To evaluate the efficacy of non-steroidal anti-androgen monotherapy in the treatment of advanced prostate cancer. METHODS: The pertinent literature regarding the use of nilutamide, flutamide, and bicalutamide as monotherapy in the treatment of prostate cancer has been reviewed. RESULTS: The clinical utility of non-steroidal antiandrogen monotherapy is currently under investigation. As with other endocrine therapies, this approach appears to provide effective palliation of symptoms, but offers certain quality-of-life benefits, including preservation of libido and sexual potency, issues which may be important in certain patients, particularly younger men. Available data indicate that flutamide may be as effective as orchidectomy in terms of prolonging progression-free survival in selected patients. Nil
