A chart review performed at the Department of Internal Medicine, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB. concluded that the a quick rate of initial PSA decline in men with hormone refractory prostate cancer receiving docetaxel chemotherapy (chemo) predicts an increased overall survival (OS).
Studies have demonstrated that docetaxel chemotherapy does prolong survival in metastatic hormone-refractory prostate cancer (mHRPC), but not all men benefit from this therapy. Prostate Specific Antigen (PSA) decline and the rate of PSA decline following chemotherapy treatment differs from one man to another. This review demonstrated that men who managed to achieve a rapid rate of PSA decline, measured as a shorter PSA half-life (PSAHL), can hope to experience a longer overall survival (OS) than those who achieve a slower rate of PSA decline.
The review was performed on the hospital charts from January 2000 to May 2006. At 42