IMMUNOTHERAPY for prostate cancer

A number of articles in the NYT and WSJ have addressed the treatment of prostate cancer using immunotherapy. Provenge (Dendreon Corp) has recently received the most publicity particularly in reference to Medicare's decision to cover this costly drug.


How does immunotherapy work?

Certain immune cells are collected from a patient's blood in a procedure known as leukapheresis. The immune cells are processed to combine with a protein found in most prostate cancers and another compound that stimulates the immune system to make Provenge. When given intravenously, the drug is believed to activate other immune cells to see the cancer as a threat and attack it.

Several companies are exploring this modality for the treatment of other solid tumors. More to come.

AVODART warning

As with Proscar (finasteride), new warnings have been released regarding the incidence of high grade prostate cancers in men taking Avodart and the combination drug Jalyn (avodart +flomax). The incidence is 1% with avodart versus placebo of 0.5%. This data was presented in the 4 year REDUCE (reduction by dutasteride of prostate cancer events study). The data for for proscar was slightly higher at 1.8% versus placebo of 1.1%).

Therefore, close monitoring of PSA is important in this group of patients taking Avodart as well as Proscar in those patients who require these medications for the treatment of symptomatic benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH).