ANDROGEN DEPRIVATION THERAPY WITH LUTEINIZING HORMONE-RELEASING HORMONE ANTAGONISTS FOR PROSTATE CANCER: BEST DISEASE CONTROL WITH A LOWER RISK OF SIDE EFFECTS. RESULTS OF ANALYSIS OF 6 COMPARATIVE RANDOMIZED PHASE III TRIALS OF DEGARELIX AND LUTEINIZIN

<p>Androgen deprivation therapy with luteinizing hormone-releasing hormone (LHRH) antagonists versus therapy with agonists of this hormone ensures a better disease control due to the rapider and persistent suppression of testosterone levels without a flare phenomenon and requires no preventive use of antiandrogens. The third-generation LHRH antagonist degarelix shows a good tolerability and causes no systemic al-lergic reactions inherent in the earlier known drugs of this group. As indicated, the use of degarelix was characterized by the longer response of prostate-specific antigen (PSA) with a lower risk of adverse reactions, namely, serious cardiovascular and osseous complications, urinary tract infections (UTI). Thus, in males with a history of cardiovascular diseases, the risk of serious cardiovascular events or death decreased by 56% just within the first year of degarelix therapy. The findings allow degarelix to be regarded as the drug of choice for first-line hormone therapy in patients with advanced PC, particularly in males with cardiovascular disease or a high risk for UTI and osseous complications.</p><p>