AN UPDATE ON THE TREATMENT OF ADVANCED PROSTATE CANCER

Abstract

Objective:To obtain an update of the treatment of advanced prostate cancer.
Data Source:Review of all published literature on advanced prostate cancer was
carried out through medline and index medicus search.
Data Selection: Published data on advanced prostate cancer from June 2005 to June
2007 was included in the review.
Date Extraction: Abstracts of articles identified were assessed, read and analysed to
determine relevance to the title under review.
Data Synthesis: After establishing relevance from the abstract, the entire paper was
read, and significant points included in the review.
Conclusion: The mainstay of treatment of advanced prostate cancer remains
hormone withdrawal. The introduction of docetaxel based chemotherapy has
caused a paradigm shift.
INTRODUCTION
Cancer of the prostate is the second leading cause of
cancer deaths in Europe and North America (l). In
Kenya, the cancer registry shows it to be second only
to oesophageal cancer.
It is commonest in Afro-Americans and the
lowest incidence is found among the Japanese and
the Chinese (2). This article reviews the current
management of prostate cancer with an emphasis to
the African region. This is a disease of the aging and
is common in Africa where most of the patients
present late and it should be suspected in men of 50
years and above who present with symptoms of
prostatism who should be investigated promptly.
Furthermore, aggressive screening of men in this age
group would facilitate early diagnosis (3-4).
In advanced prostate cancer the tumour has
metastasised beyond