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Chemotherapy for Prostate Cancer

Chemotherapy uses drugs to kill cancer cells. The drugs enter the bloodstream and travel through the body to kill cancer cells. The side effects from chemotherapy occur because it destroys both normal cells and cancer cells.
While chemotherapy is not part of the standard treatment for prostate cancer, it may be used if other treatments are not effective.

Types of Chemotherapy Drugs

If you and your doctor decide that you are going to undergo chemotherapy, you most likely will take a drug called docetaxel, which is often combined with the steroid prednisone. If docetaxel does not work, though, your doctor may recommend cabazitaxel, a newer drug. These two drugs may help you to live longer, reduce your symptoms, and slow cancer growth. In additon to these two chemotherapy drugs, there are also many others that your doctor may recommend (eg, mitoxantrone, estramustine, doxorubicin).
Unfortunately, there are many side effects associated with chemotherapy, such as:
  • Nausea and vomiting
  • Diarrhea or constipation
  • Hair loss
  • Low red blood cell count
  • Weakened immune system (higher risk of getting sick)
  • Fatigue

Newer Treatment Approaches

Targeted Therapies
Researchers continue to develop and study different strategies to slow or stop the growth of tumors. The drug cabozantinib, for instance, interferes with the process that cancer cells go through to create new blood vessels, which are needed for the cancer to grow. Cabozantinib is still being investigated. But, if you have advanced prostate cancer, you may be able to take this drug as part of a clinical trial.
Some of the side effects that have been reported include:
  • Fatigue
  • Decreased appetite
  • Diarrhea
  • Nausea
  • Constipation
  • Hand-foot syndrome (skin reaction)
Immunotherapy
Immunotherapy is a drug treatment that aims to build your immune system so that you can better fight cancer cells. Sipuleucel-T is a type of immunotherapy that is approved to treat prostate cancer that has spread.
Some of the side effects include:
  • Fever and chills
  • Fatigue
  • Back pain
  • Nausea
  • Pain and stiffness in the joints
  • Headache

References

Cabozantinib: clinical trial information. Exelixis website. Available at: http://www.exelixis.com/cabozantinib/clinical-trial-information. Accessed September 20, 2012.

Chemotherapy for prostate cancer. American Cancer Society website. Available at: http://www.cancer.org/Cancer/ProstateCancer/DetailedGuide/prostate-cancer-treating-chemotherapy. Updated September 4, 2012. Accessed September 20, 2012.

Hand-foot syndrome. OncoLink website. Available at: http://www.oncolink.org/treatment/article.cfm?id=384&s=13&c=2. Updated January 17, 2012. Accessed September 20, 2012..

Prostate cancer. EBSCO DynaMed website. Available at:http://www.ebscohost.com/dynamed/ . Updated September 13, 2012. Accessed September 20, 2012.

Revision Information

This content is reviewed regularly and is updated when new and relevant evidence is made available. This information is neither intended nor implied to be a substitute for professional medical advice. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified health provider prior to starting any new treatment or with questions regarding a medical condition.

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