A trial of mitozantrone or docetaxel chemotherapy for advanced prostate cancer

Cancer type:

Prostate cancer

Status:

Results

Phase:

Phase 3

This trial was looking at chemotherapy for prostate cancer that had spread and was no longer responding to hormone therapy.

The trial compared 2 different ways of giving the chemotherapy drug docetaxel with another chemotherapy drug, mitoxantrone.

Summary of results

The trial team found that having docetaxel was better than mitoxantrone for men with advanced prostate cancer.

This trial recruited 1,006 men. They were put in to 1 of 3 treatment groups

  • 335 had docetaxel every 3 weeks
  • 334 had docetaxel once a week
  • 337 had mitoxantrone once a week

The researchers looked at how well the men’s pain was controlled, their quality of life, their PSA blood level and how long they lived for. In all cases those who had docetaxel had better results than those who had mitoxantrone.

For the men having docetaxel every 3 weeks the results were

  • 73 (22%) reported improved quality of life
  • 150 (45%) reported better pain control
  • 117 (35%) their PSA blood level had halved

For the men having docetaxel once a week

  • 76 (23%) reported improved quality of life
  • 160 (48%) reported better pain control
  • 103 (31%) their PSA blood level had halved

For the men having mitoxantrone

  • 43 (13%) reported improved quality of life
  • 107 (32%) reported better pain control
  • 74 (22%) their PSA blood level had halved

On average, men in both of the docetaxel groups lived longer than the men in the mitoxantrone group. And the men who had docetaxel every 3 weeks on average lived the longest.

The researchers concluded that treatment with docetaxel every 3 weeks was much better for men with advanced prostate cancer than mitoxantrone.

We have based this summary on information from the team who ran the trial. The information they sent us has been reviewed by independent specialists (peer reviewed Open a glossary item) and published in a medical journal. The figures we quote above were provided by the trial team. We have not analysed the data ourselves.

Recruitment start:

Recruitment end:

How to join a clinical trial

Please note: In order to join a trial you will need to discuss it with your doctor, unless otherwise specified.

Please note - unless we state otherwise in the summary, you need to talk to your doctor about joining a trial.

Chief Investigator

Dr Nick James

Supported by

Aventis Pharma

Freephone 0808 800 4040

Last review date

CRUK internal database number:

Oracle - 163

Please note - unless we state otherwise in the summary, you need to talk to your doctor about joining a trial.

Keith took part in a trial looking into hormone therapy

A picture of Keith

"Health wise I am feeling great. I am a big supporter of trials - it allows new treatments and drugs to be brought in.”

Last reviewed:

Rate this page:

Currently rated: 3.2 out of 5 based on 6 votes
Thank you!
We've recently made some changes to the site, tell us what you think