Hope For Patients With Prostate Cancer

The Food and Drug Administration has approved an effective combination treatment for patients with advanced prostate cancer. Prostate cancer is the second leading cause of cancer death in men and according to the American Cancer Society, there will be about 230,900 new cases of prostate cancer diagnosed this year.

The combination therapy consists of Taxotere (docetaxel) and prednisone (a steroid). Researchers say the treatment has shown promise for many patients.Researchers say it is an important advance in the treatment of prostate cancer because it can help some patients live longer. Specialists say Taxotere in combination with prednisone offers hope to certain patients who have not responded to other treatments.

Taxotere works by stopping tubulin -- a protein that helps cancer cells divide and grow. The drug Taxotere in combination with prednisone was found to extend the lifespan of patients by about 2.5 months.Side effects of the drug combination include nausea, hair loss, bone marrow suppression, tingling sensations, and fluid retention.