Liver metastases are uncommon in men with castrate resistant prostate cancer (CRPC). Having liver metastases is associated with more serious disease and shorter survival.

How to treat men with liver metastases is still not very clear. It is felt that more active treatment might benefit these men. A standard regimen for treating gastric cancer is Epirubicin, Cisplatin and Flurouracil (ECF). This regimen has been reported to also have a response in CRPC in men with liver metastases.

In a research survey of the use of ECF in CRPC was evaluated with the primary objective of determining its anti-tumor activity in men with liver metastatic CRPC. The survey excluded men with tumors showing neuroendocrine features.

The researchers identified 8 men meeting the inclusion criteria. They received a median of 6 cycles of ECF
(range: 1-10). Of the 8 men with liver metastases, 5 had experienced a partial remission.
The researchers found that in a small selected group of younger men with liver metastases and with a poor prognosis ECF was highly active. Despite these limitations, this is the third report of high objective response rates with ECF in CRPC. Since objective response rates are low with current therapies ECF should be considered.

Can Urol Assoc J. 2014 Sep;8(9-10):353-7.
doi: 10.5489/cuaj.2029; Gupta S, Potvin K, Ernst DS, Whiston F, Winquist E.

PubMed Abstract
PMID: 25408803