MONDAY, Dec. 10 (HealthDay News) -- U.S. Food and Drug Administration approval of Zytiga (abiraterone acetate) has been expanded to include treating late-stage castration-resistant prostate cancer before the administration of chemotherapy, the agency said Monday.
The drug, designed to decrease production of the male sex hormone testosterone, was first approved in November 2011. Testosterone is thought to spur the growth of prostate tumors, the FDA said in a news release.
Zytiga's approval for the new use followed a clinical study of 1,088 men with advanced, castration-resistant prostate cancer who hadn't received chemotherapy. Men who took Zytiga had a median survival of 35.3 months, compared to 30.1 months among those who took a placebo.
The most common adverse reactions included fatigue, swollen joints, hot flushes, diarrhea, vomiting, cough and high blood pressure.
Zytiga is marketed by Janssen Biotech, based in Horsham, Penn.
More information
To learn more about prostate cancer, visit the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
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Viking
Thu Jan 03, 2013 12:57 PM
If the prostate cancer has become castration resistant, how does Zytiga help? Isn't castration resistance (the ability of the cancer to grow in the absence of testosterone) just that? Zytiga, the article states lowers testosterone but then so do all the other drugs and if the cancer can grow in the absence of testosterone where is the advantage coming from?
Denis2012
Mon Jan 07, 2013 10:49 PM
Good point Viking, I have Prostate cancer which has metastasized in my bone - called boney metastisis and I have had Tak700 trials 2 years ago, chemotherapy with Doxetaxel last year and radiation to help with hot spots around the C2 and T5-7 also sacrum, however cancer is still there. I have just started 6 weeks ago on Salvestrol Platinum 4 tabs a day, however I cannot tell yet what is may or may not be doing to help. My pain levels are now so high I am on slow and quick release Morphine 24/7. Does anyone out there have a solution to my problems -
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