Treatment outcome of docetaxel plus prednisolone for metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer in Korea

Aim: We retrospectively reviewed the treatment outcomes of docetaxel plus prednisolone chemotherapy in Korean men with metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer (mCRPC). Patients and Methods: This Study included 106 consecutive Korean patients with mCRPC who were treated with a 3-weekly regimen of docetaxel plus prednisolone chemotherapy between 2005 and 2011. The oncologic results and treatment-related adverse events were analyzed. Results: The mean patient age was 66 years. Of the 106 patients, 70 (66.0%) received docetaxel as the first-line chemotherapy. A 50% reduction in prostate-specific antigen and objective response in measurable lesion were observed in 45 (48.9%) and 14 (17.9%) patients respectively. Fifteen (14.4%) patients experienced grade 3 or higher neutropenic fever. One patient had a treatment-related death. median follow-up time was 26.5 months. The median progression-free survival and overall survival (OS) were 6.0 and 16.0 months respectively. Of several factors examined, multivariate analysis Identified good performance status and first-line setting predict longer OS. The median OS of the patients in the first-and second-line setting was 23.0 versus 11.0 months (Hazard ratio 2.485, 95% confidence interval 1.558-3.966, P < 0.001). The survival rates in the first-line at 12 and 24 months were 73.8% and 47.2% respectively. Conclusion: Korean castration-resistant prostate cancer patients that receive docetaxel chemotherapy have a relatively longer survival outcome compared with western countries in the first-line setting. In addition, good performance status and first-line setting predicts longer survival. A prospective study including genetic background associated with the prognosis of mCRPC patients might be required.