
"Health wise I am feeling great. I am a big supporter of trials - it allows new treatments and drugs to be brought in.”
This study wanted to see if 2 drugs for diabetes and high cholesterol helped to reduce PSA levels in prostate cancer when hormone therapy was no longer working.
Doctors often use hormone therapy to treat prostate cancer. This treatment usually works well for a few years. But the cancers often become resistant to hormone therapy at some stage.
When this happens you may not have symptoms. But your will increase. This shows that your prostate cancer is becoming more active. Doctors may then use other treatments including steroids or chemotherapy. But these treatments often have unpleasant side effects.
Researchers wanted to see if 2 drugs designed to treat other conditions, would help to stabilise or lower the PSA.
These drugs do not have such severe side effects as steroids or chemotherapy. Pioglitazone treats diabetes, but is still safe if you are not diabetic. Fenofibrate treats high cholesterol.
The aims of this study were to:
The study team have told us that this trial closed early because they found it difficult to get enough men to take part. This means that they have not been able to do a full analysis of the results.
Please note: In order to join a trial you will need to discuss it with your doctor, unless otherwise specified.
Dr Jonathan Shamash
Barts Health NHS Trust
Experimental Cancer Medicine Centre (ECMC)
Orchid Cancer Appeal
If you have questions about the trial please contact our cancer information nurses
Freephone 0808 800 4040
"Health wise I am feeling great. I am a big supporter of trials - it allows new treatments and drugs to be brought in.”