OBJECTIVES: To assess the clinical practice in the treatment of metastatic hormone-sensitive prostate cancer (mHSPC) in the Portuguese National Health Service.

METHODS: A panel with six experts (5 oncologists and 1 urologist) highly experienced on mHSPC treatment was conducted during 2020 in order to characterize Portuguese clinical practice. Experts, who were geographically and institutionally diversified, replied individually to a structured electronic questionnaire. Responses were collected and results were based on arithmetic averages, according to Portuguese methodological guidelines.

RESULTS: In Portugal, 70% of the patients with mHSPC were treated with luteinizing hormone‑releasing hormone agonists or antagonists (LHRHa) and 30% with LHRHa associated with docetaxel. Treatment with LHRHa can also be associated with androgen deprivation therapy (ADT), a practice estimated to have happened in approximately half of the patients (52%) in this setting. Moreover, 82% and 79% of patients treated with LHRHa and LHRHa associated with docetaxel will later need metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer (mCRPC) treatment, respectively. Patients with mCRPC were mostly treated with hormone agents (abiraterone and enzalutamide).

CONCLUSIONS: Despite the possibility of association of taxane chemoterapy agents (docetaxel) to hormone therapy in the treatment of mHSPC, the majority of patients in Portugal was treated exclusively with hormone therapy. Patients with mCRPC were treated with second generation hormone agents preferentially to docetaxel.