Will GnRH antagonists improve prostate cancer treatment?

Androgen ablation forms a basis for treating prostate cancer and is achieved either by surgical castration, or pharmacologically using oestrogens, anti-androgens and/or gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH) analogues. GnRH antagonists (or blockers) offer a new means of treatment by directly blocking...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Trends in endocrinology and metabolism 2009-01, Vol.20 (1), p.43-50
Main Authors: Huhtaniemi, Ilpo, White, Richard, McArdle, Craig A, Persson, Bo-Eric
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Animals
Antineoplastic Agents, Hormonal - administration & dosage
Antineoplastic Agents, Hormonal - therapeutic use
Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols - therapeutic use
Biological and medical sciences
Drug Design
Endocrinology & Metabolism
Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology
Gonadotropin-Releasing Hormone - agonists
Gonadotropin-Releasing Hormone - analogs & derivatives
Gonadotropin-Releasing Hormone - antagonists & inhibitors
Gonadotropin-Releasing Hormone - pharmacology
Gynecology. Andrology. Obstetrics
Hormone Antagonists - administration & dosage
Hormone Antagonists - therapeutic use
Humans
Male
Male genital diseases
Medical sciences
Models, Biological
Nephrology. Urinary tract diseases
Oligopeptides - therapeutic use
Prostatic Neoplasms - drug therapy
Treatment Outcome
Tumors
Tumors of the urinary system
Urinary tract. Prostate gland
Vertebrates: endocrinology
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Summary:Androgen ablation forms a basis for treating prostate cancer and is achieved either by surgical castration, or pharmacologically using oestrogens, anti-androgens and/or gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH) analogues. GnRH antagonists (or blockers) offer a new means of treatment by directly blocking GnRH receptors. Advantages of GnRH antagonists include lack of the initial stimulation of gonadotropin and testosterone production, lack of gonadotropin microsurges and sustained follicle-stimulating hormone suppression; disadvantages include increased histamine release. This review discusses advantages and disadvantages of the GnRH antagonists currently in development, in light of receptor physiology and pre-clinical and clinical data. Comparative clinical trials will ultimately establish their efficacy in comparison to other pharmacotherapies. Therefore, continuing development and refinement is needed to improve prostate cancer treatment.
ISSN:1043-2760
1879-3061
DOI:10.1016/j.tem.2008.09.003