Two-monthly depot gonadotropin releasing hormone agonist (buserelin) for treatment of prostatic cancer

The agonist analogues of gonadotropin-releasing hormone provide an alternate medical therapy for prostatic cancer. Current methods of administration of these analogues by daily injection or nasal spray is sub-optimal in an elderly population. We have performed a pharmacological and endocrine evaluation of a new depot preparation of one such analogue, buserelin, active for 2 months. Thirty patients with advanced symptomatic prostatic cancer were treated. Serum testosterone was suppressed for the duration of treatment which ranged up to 14 months. The release characteristics of the depot were consistent and showed minimal variation between patients. This 2-month preparation of buserelin offers and advantage to the patient with prostatic cancer, over current treatment regimens.