Chemotherapy in hormone-refractory prostate cancer: Docetaxel with and without VT122

Background: Randomized study in metastatic castration resistant prostate cancer treated with docetaxel and the benefit of adding VT122. Methods: Castration resistant prostate cancer with bone metastasis, symptomatic were treated with docetaxel 75 mg/m2 every 3 week and prednisolone with continued androgen suppression, LHRH analogue and zoledronic acid, every 28 days with or without VT122. VT122 is a drug combination of etodolac, a COX-2 inhibitor and propranolol, a beta blocker with anti angiogenic properties; this combination has previously been shown to be anti cachectic, anti neoplastic.The dose of etodolac was titrated by C-reactive protein levels to a maximum of 800 mg/day. The dose of propranolol was titrated to keep heart rate at around 60 b/min to 70 b/min. GCSF was allowed, all patients were given Calcium and VitaminD. The primary end point was time to progression, a composite end point of objective progression by RECIST criteria, PSA progression or pain progression, whichever occurred first was applied.The McGill questionnaire was applied to patients. Number of patients 69; 34 in docetaxel arm; 35 in VT122 arm. Age between 50-65 years. Taken from 3 centers with PS ECOG <2 controlled comorbidity with stable analgesic regime. All patients were planned for 6 cycles of docetaxel. Follow-up was for a period of two years. Results: Median age of 62 years with ECOG status 1 was seen in 88%. The median PSA value was seen as 138 ng/ml (10 - 600). 66% in both arms had measurable disease. Conclusions: Addition of VT122 improves response rates, duration of response and symptom scales along with 1-year survival which are statistically significant; toxicities are also significantly decreased and indicating increased efficacy and safety profile of docetaxel. The efficacy and control of toxicity and easy to administer makes this an attractive combination. (Table Presented).