Japanese Journal of Clinical Oncology Advance Access first published online on October 16, 2009
This version published online on October 22, 2009
Japanese Journal of Clinical Oncology, doi:10.1093/jjco/hyp126
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© The Author (2009). Published by Oxford University Press. All rights reserved
Docetaxel in Combination with Prednisolone for Hormone Refractory Prostate Cancer
1 Department of Urology, Keio University School of Medicine
2 Department of Urology, International University of Health and Welfare Mita Hospital
3 Department of Urology, Tokyo Medical University, Tokyo, Japan
For reprints and all correspondence: Eiji Kikuchi, Department of Urology, Keio University School of Medicine, 35 Shinanomachi, Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo 160-8582, Japan. E-mail: eiji-k{at}kb3.so-net.ne.jp
Received July 24, 2009; accepted August 24, 2009
Objective: The objective of this study was to evaluate the efficacy and toxicity of docetaxel in combination with prednisolone in Japanese patients with hormone refractory prostate cancer.
Methods: Twenty patients with hormone refractory prostate cancer (HRPC) were administered a treatment regimen consisting of docetaxel 75 mg/m2 once every 3 or 4 weeks and prednisolone 5 mg twice daily at our institution between 2006 and 2008.
Results: The patients received a median of 5.5 cycles of treatment (range, 2–11 cycles). Nine of the 20 patients (45%) had a 
50% decrease in serum prostate-specific antigen (PSA). The median duration of response was 4 months (range, 1–12 months). The number of cycles performed, the presence of bone metastasis and the extent of disease had statistically significant associations with the response. Three patients had a transient PSA rise among the patients who ultimately had a response. Grade 3/4 leukopenia and neutropenia occurred in 80.0% and 85.0% of the patients, respectively. Interstitial pneumonia occurred in only one patient; however, the patient recovered. Finally, no treatment-related deaths were seen during the observation period.
Conclusions: The combination of docetaxel 75 mg/m2 every 3 weeks and prednisolone 10 mg daily was effective and well tolerated in Japanese patients with HRPC. The results of this study suggest that a decision concerning discontinuation of this treatment should be carefully considered because a transient PSA rise was observed. Although interstitial pneumonia was rare, the potential risk of its development should be taken into consideration.
Key Words: prostate cancer • chemotherapy • docetaxel
This version has been corrected to show the results for five responders with bone metastasis.