Study Shows Abiraterone Slows Prostate Cancer development

When prostate cancer is exposed to the male hormone testosterone and its related hormones, known as androgens, the tumor grows. By consequence, stopping the production of testosterone and androgens expects to stop the cancel development as well. This is the basic principle of hormone treatment.

There are two main current treatments to prevent the production of male hormones in the testes: surgical removal of the testes (castration) or medication. But these approaches are not 100 percent effective because they do not prevent other parts of the body from producing male hormones

The solution seems to come from a new drug called abiraterone acetate. This drug blocks an enzyme called CYP17 that is involved in the production of dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA) and androstenedione, which ultimately are metabolized by the body into male hormones.

Currently, abiraterone acetate is on trials, but results are very promising.

A recent trial involved men who had been medically or surgically treated to halt testosterone production in the testes, but none of them treated with chemotherapy. This additional condition was a researchers request knowing that chemotherapy is used when cancerous tumor continues to grow and spread into the body despite a hormone therapy is administrated.

During 12 weeks of treatment men took abiraterone acetate orally once a day. After this treatment period, tests showed that in 71% of the men abiraterone lowered PSA levels by at least 50%. In two men, the drug reduced PSA to undetectable levels.

The researchers concluded in their report that, abiraterone acetate was well tolerated. But abiraterone is not a drug that eliminates all bad events or side effects. Among significant adverse reactions that were reported study authors mentioned six cases of Grade 3 toxicities and two Grade 4 toxicities (dizziness and bone pain). No patient asked to stop treatment due to side effects.