[A way of thinking of a MAB therapy for local/locally advanced prostate cancer: the theory and recent evaluation].

: The MAB (Maximal Androgen Blockade) therapy is a treatment to exert maximal effects of hormone therapy, inhibiting androgen activity derived from both testes and adrenal gland that promotes proliferation of prostate cancer, being proposed by Dr. Labrie et al. in 1980s. For efficacy of the MAB therapy, a meta-analysis of randomized control studies with metastatic prostate cancer realized primarily in Europe and America showed the survival benefit of MAB therapy using nonsteroidal antiandrogen agent, which have placed it as a standard therapy for metastatic prostate cancer. However, it was suggested that the better effect of MAB therapy was expected in patients without distant metastasis rather than patients with metastatic prostate cancer, and it was noted that the time to progression (TTP) was significantly improved in patients of stage C in a randomized double-blind control study on bicalutamide+LH-RH agonist vs. placebo+LH-RH agonist conducted in Japan. In addition, the clinical study conducted by Dr. Labrie et al. suggested that the patients where the cure was expected did exist by continuing long-term MAB therapy against local prostate cancer. In this discussion meeting, inviting Dr. Labrie, the importance of MAB therapy among the hormone therapy against prostate cancer, the possibility of MAB therapy as a curative treatment against local/locally advanced prostate cancer and the ideal way of application of hormone therapy were discussed, and the significance was showed to conduct a most effective hormone therapy (MAB therapy) in earlier stage where the androgen sensitivity was noted.