Wednesday, July 23, 2008

Experimental drug shrinks prostate tumors

An experimental drug that shrinks tumors in the most aggressive, and almost always fatal, type of prostate cancer is being tested, according to the Journal of Clinical Oncology.

The drug, abiraterone, is designed to block testosterone from being formed. While other drugs do this with some success, in some forms of prostate cancer the tumor cells themselves produce testosterone.

This test drug is said to block testosterone production everywhere in the body, including the tumor cells.

The initial test involved only 21 men, but a larger study involving 250 men is underway. If approved, Cougar Biotechnology of Los Angeles says the new drug could be available by 2011.

More at the LATimes.

No comments: