Review of Current Treatment Intensification Strategies for Prostate Cancer Patients

Abstract

Prostate cancer (PCa) used to be one of the most common nondermatologic cancers in men that can be treated only with surgery. However, a revolutionary breakthrough came in the 1980s with the introduction of long-acting luteinizing hormone-releasing hormone (LHRH) agonists for the curative treatment of PCa. This paradigm shift contributed to the combined use of androgen deprivation therapy (ADT), chemotherapy, and radiotherapy for the treatment. The latest data highlight the use of treatment intensification (TI), i.e., combined use of radiotherapy (RT) and hormonal or drug treatments, for localized or locally advanced PCa. Indeed, the results of combined modality treatments have shown a reduction in disease-specific mortality and improved overall survival. Although TI seems promising, more research studies are warranted to confirm its efficacy. This review summarizes the latest available outcome results of pivotal trials and clinical studies on the efficacy of TI.