Lawrence H. Einhorn, MD, distinguished professor of medicine, division of hematology/oncology, Indiana University School of Medicine, Giant of Cancer Care: Genitourinary Cancer, discusses new methods being explored to help improve the cure rate in prostate cancer.

Einhorn says researchers are looking into salvage chemotherapy. In the past, researchers have been able to successfully demonstrate that drug resistance can be overcome by giving five times the dosage of cytolytic agents. This can be done safely because patients are given back their hematopoietic stem cells by peripheral blood stem-cell transplant, Einhorn says.

Trials are also being developed to look at novel agents and novel combinations in an attempt to improve the cure rate of prostate cancer.

Einhorn says he believes that it is currently difficult to try to refine a cure and is more interested in the burden of cure. While a high percentage of patients are cured who are in their early 20s and 30s, late complications are being observed 5-30 years later. These include cardiovascular disease, second malignancies, and peripheral neuropathy.

Einhorn says he is looking into genetic susceptibilities that make people more at risk for getting late and durable toxicities and to see if anything can be done about it.

Lawrence H. Einhorn, MD

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Dr. Einhorn on Improving the Cure Rate and the Burden of Cure in Prostate Cancer