Background: To assess the role of docetaxel plus androgen deprivation in metastatic, hormone- sensitive prostate cancer.
Methods: A qualitative systematic review of literature was performed. All the randomized phase III trials comparing docetaxel plus androgen deprivation with androgen deprivation alone in patients with metastatic, hormone-sensitive prostate cancer were considered eligible and included into the analysis.
Results: Six papers (3 randomized clinical trials, and 3 systematic reviews with meta-analysis) were considered eligible and included into the analysis. A significant improvement in time to progression and OS in the entire population treated with docetaxel plus androgen deprivation was reported in all the trials and meta-analyses, and in two trials and all meta-analyses, respectively. One trial reported improvement of OS only in patients with high volume disease, and the meta-analysis that also analyzed the subgroups of patients with high or low volume disease reported a benefit of docetaxel plus androgen deprivation for either the entire population or the two subgroups of patients.
Conclusion: The early use of docetaxel combined with androgen deprivation improves the main outcomes in the treatment of metastatic, hormone-sensitive prostate cancer. The available data suggest that docetaxel plus androgen deprivation could be considered the novel standard for fit patients with metastatic, hormone-sensitive prostate cancer.