April 12, 2001 COLUMBUS, Ohio (AP) - Men with advanced prostate cancer who had to get shots every three months now can receive a year's worth of drugs through a 1 1/2 inch-long (3.8-centimeter-long) tube implanted in the upper arm.
The device, called Viadur, would reduce pain from injections and the need for doctors' visits. It went on the market nationwide in March, a year after its approval by the Food and Drug Administration.
Doctors who have used it say it is particularly effective for patients who live in rural areas and must travel long distances to see the doctor, or men who go south for the winter or travel a lot. They may have a hard time making sure they get to the urologist every three months for their shots.
"I've done two implants and both patients are from small towns," said Dr. George Ho, a urologist at Mount Carmel Medical Center.
The device delivers the drug leuprolide, which until now was given only by injection. The drug interrupts the signal from the brain that starts testosterone production, Ho said. Reducing the level of hormone in the body can slow the spread of the cancer.
The implant is used when the cancer has spread beyond the prostate, rendering surgery and radiation ineffective.
The American Cancer Society estimates prostate cancer killed 31,900 men in 2000.
Viadur was developed by Mountain View, California-based Alza Corp. and marketed by Bayer Pharmaceuticals of West Haven, Connecticut.
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