Drug treatment delays progression of prostate cancer

Treatment with the drug dutasteride (Avodart) and regular monitoring delays the progression of low-risk, localized prostate cancer, according to the results of a three-year clinical trial conducted by the. University of Toronto's Neil Fleshner . The research also shows that the treatment reduces anxiety, said Fleshner, a professor of surgery and head of the Division of Urology at the University Health Network. The findings are published online Jan. 23 in The Lancet. "The results prove that using active surveillance [regular monitoring] plus dutasteride is a viable, safe and effective treatment option for men who often undergo aggressive local treatment despite low risk of dying from the disease," said Fleshner, who also holds the Love Chair in Prostate Cancer Prevention Research "This is very good news for men with low-risk disease because aggressive treatment can have a major impact on their quality of life, with risks of impotence and incontinence." The three-year clinical trial enrolled 302 men between the ages of 48 and 82 diagnosed with low-risk localized prostate cancer and regularly monitored for clinical changes - a treatment option called "active surveillance". In the trial, participants were randomized 1:1 to receive dutasteride or a matching placebo daily.