Docetaxel and its effects on prostate cancer
Author Information
Author(s): G. Kramer, S. Schwarz, M. Hägg, A. Mandic Havelka, S. Linder
Primary Institution: University of Vienna and Karolinska Institute
Hypothesis
Can caspase-cleaved cytokeratin 18 (CK18-Asp396) be used as a serum biomarker for assessing the clinical efficiency of chemotherapy in hormone-refractory prostate cancer?
Conclusion
Docetaxel significantly induces apoptosis in hormone-refractory prostate cancer, as evidenced by increased levels of CK18-Asp396 in serum during treatment cycles.
Supporting Evidence
- Docetaxel induced significant increases in serum CK18-Asp396 and total CK18.
- Vinorelbine also induced increases in CK18-Asp396 but to a lesser extent than docetaxel.
- CK18-Asp396 levels were associated with baseline prostate-specific antigen levels.
Takeaway
This study shows that a blood test can help doctors see if a cancer treatment is working by measuring a specific protein that increases when cancer cells die.
Methodology
Patients with hormone-refractory prostate cancer were treated with chemotherapy, and serum levels of CK18-Asp396 were measured before and during treatment cycles.
Potential Biases
Potential bias due to non-randomized treatment assignment and reliance on serum biomarkers.
Limitations
The study was not randomized between docetaxel and vinorelbine, and the sample size for some analyses was limited.
Participant Demographics
82 patients with hormone-refractory prostate cancer, aged 48 to 88 years.
Statistical Information
P-Value
p<0.0001
Statistical Significance
p<0.0001
Digital Object Identifier (DOI)
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