Current drug therapy for prostate cancer: an overview

Curr Med Chem Anticancer Agents. 2005 Nov;5(6):603-12. doi: 10.2174/156801105774574658.

Abstract

Prostate cancer is the most common cancer amongst men in the USA and the second most common malignant cause of male death worldwide after lung cancer. The life time risk of having microscopic evidence of prostate cancer for a 50 year old man is 42%. Prostate cancer is thus becoming an increasingly significant global health problem in terms of mortality, morbidity, as well as economically. This review, discusses current medical therapeutic options for prostate cancer including traditional treatments using luteinising hormone releasing analogues (LHRH), anti-androgens and estrogen treatments, and the use of novel drugs directed against molecular targets considered important in oncogenesis and metastasis. Prostate cancer chemoprevention using 5alpha-reductase inhibitors and the role of gene therapy are also considered.

Publication types

  • Review

MeSH terms

  • Antineoplastic Agents, Hormonal / therapeutic use*
  • Bone Neoplasms / drug therapy
  • Bone Neoplasms / radiotherapy
  • Bone Neoplasms / secondary
  • Diphosphonates / therapeutic use
  • Endothelin A Receptor Antagonists
  • Enzyme Inhibitors / pharmacology
  • Enzyme Inhibitors / therapeutic use
  • ErbB Receptors / antagonists & inhibitors
  • Genetic Therapy
  • Humans
  • Immunotherapy
  • Male
  • Neoplasms, Hormone-Dependent / genetics
  • Neoplasms, Hormone-Dependent / pathology
  • Neoplasms, Hormone-Dependent / therapy*
  • Neovascularization, Pathologic / drug therapy
  • Prognosis
  • Prostatic Neoplasms / blood supply
  • Prostatic Neoplasms / genetics
  • Prostatic Neoplasms / pathology
  • Prostatic Neoplasms / therapy*

Substances

  • Antineoplastic Agents, Hormonal
  • Diphosphonates
  • Endothelin A Receptor Antagonists
  • Enzyme Inhibitors
  • ErbB Receptors