Research Status of Androgen Deprivation Therapy Monotherapy and Combination Therapy for Prostate Cancer: A Scoping Review.

BACKGROUND

Prostate cancer (PC) is a common malignant tumor. Although androgen deprivation therapy (ADT) drugs are widely used in the treatment of PC, to date, clinical research on ADT drugs has not provided a clear overview of the existing treatment regimens. The purpose of this study is to use scoring review to sort out relevant research, present relevant research evidence, and identify recommended guidance for selecting therapeutic strategies.

METHODS

PubMed, Embase and Cochrane Library databases were searched for literature published until September 2025. Statistical analysis was conducted on the main characteristics of the included studies, with a primary focus on changes in the medication regimens of the four ADT drugs identified in clinical studies.

RESULTS

Ultimately, 160 literatures with 126 randomized controlled trials (RCTs) were included in the analysis. There were 52, 67, ten, and 16 studies evaluating leuprorelin, goserelin, triptorelin, and degarelix, respectively. The main medication regimens for ADT drugs included monotherapy and combination therapy with first generation anti-androgen drugs, novel hormonal drugs, and other treatments. In RCTs that evaluated leuprorelin and goserelin, numerous studies involved all four medication regimens. However, due to the relatively late regulatory approval of triptorelin and degarelix, these were mainly studied as monotherapy. There were only six studies from China.

CONCLUSION

Although numerous studies have evaluated the efficacy of ADT drugs for the treatment of PC, there is still a paucity of high-quality research across multiple domains. Furthermore, there is a relative lack of in-depth research involving Chinese patients.