Prostate-specific antigen decline after gonadotropin-releasing hormone antagonist withdrawal in androgen-independent prostate cancer

Urology. 2005 Apr;65(4):799. doi: 10.1016/j.urology.2004.10.059.

Abstract

A 66-year-old man with androgen-independent prostate cancer was treated with abarelix, a gonadotropin-releasing hormone antagonist, for 20 weeks in an experimental protocol. He did not respond to therapy, but his serum prostate-specific antigen level dropped from 15.8 ng/mL to a confirmed 0.8 ng/mL after abarelix was stopped. His prostate-specific antigen level did not return to greater than 15.8 ng/mL for 14 months. This is the first report of a withdrawal response after therapy with a gonadotropin-releasing hormone antagonist, a new class of agents for prostate cancer. Additional observations are needed to determine whether this is an isolated case or a harbinger of a more common phenomenon.

Publication types

  • Case Reports
  • Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural
  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
  • Research Support, U.S. Gov't, P.H.S.

MeSH terms

  • Aged
  • Androgens / metabolism
  • Gonadotropin-Releasing Hormone / antagonists & inhibitors*
  • Humans
  • Male
  • Oligopeptides / administration & dosage*
  • Prostate-Specific Antigen / blood*
  • Prostatic Neoplasms / blood*
  • Prostatic Neoplasms / drug therapy*
  • Prostatic Neoplasms / metabolism

Substances

  • Androgens
  • Oligopeptides
  • Gonadotropin-Releasing Hormone
  • Prostate-Specific Antigen
  • abarelix