High-dose ketoconazole treatment in advanced prostatic cancer.

For purposes of testosterone suppression, high doses of ketoconazole were administered to 18 patients with advanced cancer of the prostate for an average of 6 months. A well-evaluable response was observed both objectively and subjectively. The blood levels of the steroid hormones were measured during the treatment period and it was found that testosterone biosynthesis was blocked. Mild gastrointestinal symptoms occurred in the minority of the cases, and administration of the drug had to be stopped in one case because of jaundice. The possibility of the use of smaller doses is being investigated, which may lead to the development of an alternative to the endocrine treatment methods.