A PHASE-II TRIAL OF DEFEROXAMINE IN PATIENTS WITH HORMONE-REFRACTORY METASTATIC PROSTATE-CANCER

The management of hormone-refractory metastatic prostate cancer remain s a therapeutic dilemma. We report the results of a phase II trial wit h deferoxamine administered at a dose of 50 mg/kg (maximum dose 5 g) a dministered intravenously over 8 hr daily, repeated for 5 days at 4-we ek intervals for 2 courses. Fourteen patients with advanced hormone-re fractory prostate cancer were treated and 28 courses were delivered. E ssentially no toxicity was observed. Using combined clinical and prost ate-specific antigen (PSA) criteria, 13 of 14 patients had disease pro gression. However, 9 of 14 patients had stable measurable or evaluable disease and progressed solely based on PSA criteria. Deferoxamine in this dose and schedule has no activity in hormone-refractory prostate cancer. Further investigation of the effect of deferoxamine on PSA pro duction/expression is warranted.