AstraZeneca trails show Casodex improves prostrate cancer survival rates 35 per cent

AstraZeneca has revealed that the third analysis of its Early Prostate Cancer (EPC) Trial Programme shows hat bicalutamide 150mg (Casodex) improves the chance of survival by more than one third (35 per cent) in men with locally advanced prostate cancer.

Locally advanced prostate cancer is when the disease has spread into the capsule of the prostate or through the prostate into the surrounding tissue.

When given as adjuvant to radiotherapy, compared to radiotherapy alone, bicalutamide 150mg was shown to be the only anti-androgen that produced such results.

Dr Heather Payne, consultant in clinical Oncology, Middlesex Hospital, London said: “A treatment that both extends a patient’s life and delays the recurrence of the disease whilst maintaining quality of life is the ultimate goal when managing this condition.

“This new data from the EPC Trial Programme demonstrates that bicalutamide 150mg meets these vital needs and will have this effect for men with locally advanced prostate cancer.”

Study results also showed that using bicalutamide 150mg as an adjuvant to radiotherapy or radical prostatectomy reduces the risk of disease progression by 31 per cent, leading to a significant survival benefit of 35 per cent when used as adjuvant to radiotherapy.

In addition, in men with locally advanced prostate cancer, when bicalutamide 150mg was given as monotherapy there was a 40 per cent reduction in risk

It was also sated that, compared with castration, bicalutamide 150mg provides better maintenance of physical capacity and sexual interest, and bicalutamide 150mg maintains bone mineral density, which is lost with castration and is associated with an increased risk of fractures.

AstraZeneca said the EPC Trial Programme followed 8,113 patients for an average of 7.4 years in 23 different countries. Patients will continue to be followed up for both disease progression and survival for a minimum period of ten years after the last patient was enrolled into the study.

Bicalutamide, marketed as Casodex in the UK, was first launched in 1995 as a combination treatment (with surgical or medical castration) for advanced prostate cancer and subsequently launched as monotherapy for the treatment of earlier stages of the disease. Casodex has received approval as a monotherapy treatment in over 60 markets to date.

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