Bone drug delays the spread of tumor in prostate cancer resistant ...

May 31st, 2011 Posted in hormone therapy

Androgen deprivation therapy (ADT) is an important option in the treatment of prostate cancer. ADT slows or stops prostate cancer growth by reducing the exposure of the prostate to testosterone. Eventually, however, prostate cancer can become resistant to ADT. This is known as hormone-refractory prostate cancer.

A study presented at the 2011 annual meeting of the American Urological Association (AUA), suggests that the bone drug Xgeva? (denosumab) delayed the spread of cancer to the bones in men with prostate cancer that has stopped responding to hormonal therapy.

The drug targets a protein known as the RANK ligand. This protein regulates the activity of osteoclasts (cells that break down bone). Xgeva has been approved for the prevention of bone complications such as fracture in patients with bone metastases from solid (not blood-related) cancers. Some research has suggested that Xgeva may also have anti-cancer effects in the bone. If this proves to be correct, it could provide an important benefit for patients with cancers that tend to spread to the bone, such as prostate and breast cancers.

Source: http://www.prostate-report.org/blog/hormone-therapy/bone-drug-delays-the-spread-of-tumor-in-prostate-cancer-resistant-to-adt

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