A randomised dose-finding phase II study on ifosfamide in metastatic hormone-refractory prostate cancer (HRPC).

The palliative efficacy and toxicity of single-ifosfamide chemotherapy were investigated in patients with progressive metastatic hormone-refractory prostate cancer (HRPC). Thirty patients were randomised to receive ifosfamide by a 24-hour infusion on day 1 or a 3-hour infusion on days 1-4 at three week intervals until renewed disease progression or a total of six chemotherapy cycles. Response was analyzed according to the guidelines of the Prostate-Specific Antigen Working Group (1999). All 30 patients were included in the final analysis. 1 (3%) PSA normalization, 8 (27%) partial responses, 3 (10%) stabile diseases and 18 (60%) progressive diseases. The mean time to progression was 2.4 months, (range 0 -17) months and the median survival time was 13.6+ months, (range 2 -52). The treatment was well tolerated. No severe gr III-IV hematotoxicities were observed. In conclusion ifosfamide is effective and well tolerated as a single-agent in the treatment of HRPC. Further studies including ifosfamide in combination chemotherapy of HRPC are in progress.