Is an LHRH antagonist a better first-line hormone therapy than an LHRH agonist?

The question of whether an LHRH antagonist (such as degarelix) is really a better first-line hormone therapy than an LHRH agonist (e.g., leuprolide acetate) is still not fully answered.

Degarelix as second-line ADT in men not responsive to LHRH agonist therapy

First-line androgen deprivation therapy (ADT) for a man with metastatic prostate cancer has long been been either surgical or medical castration. In the case of medical castatration, the form of medication most commonly used since the mid to late 1980s has been an LHRH agonist (e.g., leuprolide acetate).

Delayed onset of castration resistance with serum T-based LHRH agonist regimens

A new paper just published online in Urology suggests that intermittent and testosterone (T)-based LHRH regimens are less likely to be associated with early onset of castration resistance than traditional, continuous, calender-based regimens.

FDA formalizes warning of cardiovascular risks for LHRH agonists

According to a media release from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) yesterday, the agency has asked manufacturers of the class of drugs known as luteinizing hormone-releasing hormone (LHRH) or gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH) agonists to include warnings about risk for cardiovascular disease and diabetes in product labeling for these drugs.

Are all LHRH agonists “just the same”?

When all the drugs in the same class have the same general clinical impact, this is known as a “class effect.” As an example, all statins (hydroxymethylglutaryl–coenzyme A reductase inhibitors) will lower risk for certain types of cardiovascular event because they lower levels of cholesterol. That is a “class effect.”

US FDA reviewing the safety of LHRH agonists

For many years it has been understood by specialists that hormonal treatment of prostate cancer patients with luteinizing hormone releasing hormone (LHRH) agonists — also known as gonadatropin releasing hormone or GnRH agonists — is associated with metabolic side effects that include risks for cardiovascular disease and diabetes.

The prostate cancer news report: Tuesday, May 5, 2009

We are returning to “normal” today with the standard “news reports.” Today’s items deal with: Evolving biomarkers and new tests and their future application MRI in diagnosis, staging, and prognosis of prostate cancer Intraprostatic injection of LHRH agonists and antagonists: is it viable? Gefitinib in HRPC: no evident impact on quality of life

Efficacy and safety of the LHRH antagonist degarelix

Klotz et al. have now published the complete results of one of the Phase III clinical trials designed to evaluate the effectiveness and the safety of degarelix — a second-generation LHRH antagonist — in the management of hormone-sensitive prostate cancer.

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