In an expert panel discussion at the Prostate Cancer Debate (PCD) 2013 in Copenhagen, Denmark, chair Prof Noel Clarke from Manchester University, UK, is joined by Prof Maria De Santis from Vienna Hospital, Austria; Dr Heather Payne from University College Hospital, London, UK; and Dr Kurt Miller from the University of Berlin, Germany. The panellists discuss the latest data presented at PCD 2013 on novel agents for the treatment of elderly patients with prostate cancer.

Dr Miller gives an update on new developments in hormone treatments, chemotherapy and other agents for the treatment of advanced prostate cancer.  He highlights the difficulties oncologists now face in deciding which treatments and which combinations to give. Dr Payne discusses the current role of docitaxel and emphasises the need for careful assessment of overall health in the elderly patient before chemotherapy is given. Prof De Santis discusses the influence of age and co-morbidities on treatment decisions, and the importance of overall patient health. Dr Miller then moves on to outline the impact of the side effects of some drugs, and the need to maintain quality of life.

The panellists also discuss the treatment of patients with metastases and the role that the newly approved treatment, radium-223, may play in this. They outline the need for more studies into combination therapies, given the number of new therapies available, not only in the elderly but in all patients.

This programme has been supported by an unrestricted educational grant from Janssen Pharmaceutica (A Johnson & Johnson Company).