Platinum-Based Chemotherapy for Small-Cell Carcinoma of the Prostate

During the past decade, rapid progress in the understanding of the molecular biology of prostate cancer — primarily focused on the androgen receptor (AR) — has led to new insights and therapy. During the same period, neuroendocrine variant small-cell prostate carcinoma, which, by definition, does not express the AR, has been managed with platinum-based chemotherapy, albeit with poor outcomes.

Now, investigators have conducted a prospective, phase II evaluation of front-line and salvage platinum-based chemotherapy in 120 patients who met ≥1 of the following criteria for “anaplastic” prostate cancer: histologic evidence of small-cell cancer, exclusive visceral metastases, lytic bone metastases, bulky nodal or prostate tumor mass, prostate-spec…