Study of Abraxane Plus Hormonal Therapy as Initial Treatment of Unresectable or Metastatic Prostate Cancer

Histologic proof of adenocarcinoma of the prostate.

Patients must belong to one of four groups: 1) Local/Regional with prior definitive therapy: Patients with local/regional recurrence following prostatectomy or radiation therapy who still have a normal bone scan. 2) Local/Regional without prior definitive therapy: Patients felt to be unresectable, or are felt not to be candidates for, radiation therapy. 3) Low volume bone disease: Patients with 1 or 2 bone metastases. 4) High volume bone/visceral disease: Patients with ≥ 3 metastatic bone sites or visceral metastases.

Patients meeting these criteria are eligible even without any radiographically demonstrable abnormality. All patients must have an elevated PSA prior to initial hormone exposure defined as: 1) For patients with prior prostatectomy, the PSA must be rising with an associated doubling time of ≤ 3 months. 2) For patients with prior radiation therapy, the PSA must be ≥ 1.0 ng/mL with an associated doubling time of ≤ 3 months. 3) For patients with the prostate in place, the PSA must be elevated with biopsy proven disease and are not candidates for local therapy.

Patients may be on an LHRH agonist (with or without an anti-androgen), or already medically castrated, at the time of study entry, provided such therapy was started within 3 months of study entry.

No previous cytotoxic systemic therapy of any kind is allowed, including systemic irradiation with strontium-89 and samarium. Previous definitive radiotherapy to one metastatic site is acceptable. At least 8 weeks must have elapsed since radiation therapy to the pelvis. Patients having limited irradiation of a single metastatic site are eligible 4 weeks following the completion of radiation.

Patients may have had previous exposure to androgen deprivation therapy if it was given for ≤ 6 months to, "downstage" the primary, and provided such therapy completed at least 12 months prior to entry into this study.

Patients must be free of serious co-morbidity and have a life expectancy of ≥ 3 years.

Patients must have adequate physiologic reserves as evidenced by Zubrod Performance Status (ZPS) of ≤ 2, adequate bone marrow function, renal function and liver function and no evidence of active ischemia on ECG (if clinically indicated, documentation of EF ≥ 40%.)

What this study is about