Prostate cancer is the second leading cause of cancer in the US and the third most common cancer worldwide. More than two million men in the US suffer with prostate cancer. Find out more about market developments in this chapter of Cancer Drug Discoveries. The prostate cancer (PCA) market was estimated to be worth US$3 billion in 2006, with a growth rate of over 5% YoY. It is one of the larger segments of the oncology market, alongside breast, non-small cell lung and colorectal cancers. PCA is the second leading cause of cancer in men in the US and the third most common cancer worldwide. More than two million men in the US suffer with PCA and, according to the American Cancer Society, 234,460 new cases were diagnosed in the US in 2006, with an estimated 27,350 deaths.

The market is currently driven by the use of hormonal therapies: AstraZeneca's Zoladex (goserelin) and Casodex (bicalutamide), TAP Pharmaceutical Products' (Abbott/Takeda) Lupron (leuprolide subcutaneous injection or intramuscular depot), sanofi-aventis/Astellas Pharma's Eligard (leuprolide subcutaneous depot) and Bayer Schering Pharma's Viadur (leuprolide subcutaneous implant). In addition, sanofi-aventis' Taxotere (docetaxel) is now licensed and has become the standard treatment for hormone-refractory prostate cancer.

In 2006, sales of PCA drugs were dominated by hormonal therapies (luteinising hormone-releasing hormone agonists/antagonists and anti-androgens) prescribed mainly for advanced hormone-dependent PCA. The arrival of innovative targeted therapies will not make these traditional therapies redundant. Newer therapies will be launched mainly into the hormone-refractory market, an area of current unmet need, whereas hormonal therapies will maintain sales value by continuing their expansion into the treatment of localised disease, while still dominating advanced hormone-dependent PCA.

Key questions answered include:
The patient population suffering from PCA is increasing at 4.8% per year. What clinical and sociological factors are influencing this?
What are the strengths and weaknesses of Dendreon's Provenge and Cell Genesys' GVAX and which is likely to dominate?
What pipeline products will AstraZeneca introduce to maintain its leading position in the PCA market despite generic competition to Casodex (2008) and Zoladex (2011)?

CURRENT PRODUCTS EVALUATED AND FORECAST
LHRH ANALOGUES
Eligard (sanofi-aventis/ Astellas Pharma)
Lupron (TAP Pharmaceutical Products)
Zoladex (AstraZeneca)

ANTI-ANDROGENS
Casodex (AstraZeneca)

CHEMOTHERAPY
Taxotere (sanofi-aventis)

UP AND COMING PRODUCTS EVALUATED
PHASE III
Satraplatin (GPC Biotech/ Pharmion/ Spectrum Pharmaceuticals)
Asentar (Novacea)
Degarelix (Ferring/Astellas)
Avastin (Roche/Genentech/Chugai)
Xinlay (Abbott)
GVAX (Cell Genesys)
Provenge (Dendreon)

PHASE II
AS1404 (Antisoma/Novartis)
CC-4047 (Celgene)
ZD4054 (AstraZeneca)
Genasense (Genta)
Ozarelix (AEterna/Zentaris)
Ipilimumab (BMS/Medarex)

By 2012 more patients will be treated with curative intent rather than being actively monitored.