Drug combination may increase prostate cancer survival

1 in 6 US men will be diagnosed with prostate cancer each year. Prostate cancer is believed to start with small changes in the size of the prostate gland cells - prostatic intraepithelial neoplasia. The bigger the changes, the higher the chance that cancer is present. Researchers are focusing on delivering an earlier diagnosis for this cancer with an unknown cause. Age is a risk factor for prostate cancer but exercise, vitamin E and a diet high in vegetables, fruits and grains can lower the risk. A study involving 334 men assessed the treatment benefits of the drug combination Taxotere and estramustine. The subjects receiving combination drugs lived 20% longer and had their cancer growth halved compared to those with standard chemotherapy. Side effects included nausea, fatigue, hair loss, infections, blood clots and lower blood count. The incidence of side effects was greater but the death rate did not increase. The drug combination is still awaiting FDA approval.

Source: summary of medical news story as reported by News 8 Austin

Related Disease Topics:

• Cancer
• Prostate cancer
• Nausea
• Fatigue
• Hair loss
• Infections
• Blood clots
• Lower blood count

Article Source Details

About: Drug combination may increase prostate cancer survival

Date: 11 December 2004

Source: News 8 Austin

URL: http://www.news8austin.com/content/headlines/?ArID=126858&SecID=2

Related Medical Topics

This summary article refers to the following medical categories:

• Diet
• Death
• Death and prostate cancer
• Side effects cancer
• Side effects prostate cancer
• Side effects nausea
• Side effects fatigue
• Side effects hair loss
• Side effects infections
• Side effects blood clots
• Side effects lower blood count
• Medication and cancer
• Medication and prostate cancer
• Medication and nausea
• Medication and fatigue
• Medication and hair loss
• Medication and infections
• Medication and blood clots
• Medication and lower blood count
• Research and cancer
• Research and prostate cancer
• Research and nausea
• Research and fatigue
• Research and hair loss
• Research and infections
• Research and blood clots
• Research and lower blood count

More News Topics

Search Specialists by State and City