But in the two clinical trials, which differed somewhat in design, those who got Taxotere, also known as docetaxel, lived a median of 18 to 19 months, compared with about 16 months for those who got the drug now typically given to relieve pain as the cancer spreads.

"Today we can safely say there is a new standard," Dr. Mario A. Eisenberger of Johns Hopkins, the principal investigator of one of the trials, said at a news conference here. "A survival benefit with a chemotherapy drug has never been previously shown" for prostate cancer resistant to hormone therapy, he said. what do you think ?

-it's a shame George forgot to add this:

"They said the proof that the drug worked for late-stage prostate cancer opened the door to test it for earlier stages of disease, when it might produce a longer extension of life."

What we have is a drug used in terminally ill prostate cancer patients who are resistant to all other forms of treatment and added in another
20% to their life expectancy.

Gee, George, what would you do if you had an extra 20% of life expectancy?

Go to the ASCO website and read the abstract and look at the table before you spout off your nonsense.

-Most of us know chemo to be mostly ineffective for routine care of prostate cancer, which is why surgery is the #1 choice if early enough. This article gives some hope for prlonged life for those advanced beyond surgical manangement.

Wednesday's JAMA has an article strongly arguing for early intervention for young men with prostate cancer. Studies to date have been inadequate since few go beyond 10 years. This study looks at 15 year survival in watchful waiting and a large percentage die from prostate cancer. Going to be a boom soon for more and more detection of prostate cancer earlier and earlier. PSA is not adequate right now, nor is a digital rectal exam... but that's all we have to go on right now. I wouldn't be surprised to see the recommendations for routine prostate cancer screening be lowered to start before age 50.

Here's an excerpt from the AP about the study (I'll have more insightful commentary when I actually read the study tomorrow):

CHICAGO - One of the longest studies of early prostate cancer suggests that untreated, slow-growing tumors become more lethal after 15 years - findings that argue for more aggressive treatment in younger men.

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The Swedish study looked at a widely used practice known as "watchful waiting," in which doctors forgo surgery or radiation and merely keep an eye on the patient's tumor.

It is an option doctors choose for many patients with slow-growing tumors, particularly older men who might die of other causes before the cancer spreads. Another reason for waiting is that surgery and radiation can cause impotence and urinary incontinence.

The study found that the death rate from prostate cancer increased almost threefold after 15 years. The research could indicate that some tumors become increasingly aggressive, said one of the study's authors, Dr. Jan-Erik Johansson of Orebro University Hospital in Sweden.

Johansson said the findings suggest that doctors should consider radical treatment in younger men who have more than 15 years left to live.