Predictive initial parameters for response of stage D prostate cancer to treatment with the luteinizing hormone-releasing hormone agonist goserelin

One hundred eighteen patients with stage D (D₁ or D₂2) prostate cancer with a mean age of 69 years were treated with monthly goserelin (Zolodex; ICI 118, 630; ICI Americas Inc, Wilmington, DE, property of Imperial Chemical Industries PLC) injections and the data were analyzed for predictive parameters for best response and time to treatment failure (National Prostatic Cancer Project [NPCP] and Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group [ECOG] criteria). For best response in a univariate analysis, the performance status (PS 0-1 v 2-3) (P = .01), hematocrit (P = .04), and pain (P = .04) were significant. For time to treatment failure by univariate analysis, ECOG performance status (0-1 v 2-3) was most predictive (P < .0001), followed by pain at entry (P = .0002), initial testosterone (T) level (> 250 ng/dL) (P = .0005), age less than 69 years (P = .02), alkaline phosphatase (> 115 IU/L) (P = .03), hemoglobin (< 14 g/dL) (P = .03), whereas normal acid phosphatase (< 3 IU/mL) (P = .29) was not predictive. In multivariate analysis for time to treatment failure, only the ECOG performance status was of significance (P = .01). Estimated median time to treatment failure for PS of 0-1 was 88 weeks and for PS of 2-3 was 31 weeks.