Ketoconazole and flutamide in the treatment of disseminated Intravascular clotting from prostate cancer: A case report and review

Abstract

Disseminated intravascular clotting (DIC) is a well-recognized complication of malignancy. Prostatic cancer can produce chronic DIC as well as acute severe DIC. Treatment of DIC are general supportive measures including heparin, transfusion of blood, platelets and clotting factors, but the most important aspect is correction of underlying malignant diseases i.e. cancer of the prostate gland. For metastatic prostatic cancer presenting with an emergency oncologic condition, the treatment of choice is surgical orchiectomy, but surgery may not be possible in the presence of severe DIC. Ketoconazole and Flutamide are drugs with different mechanisms for hormonal manipulation of this cancer. Due to severe DIC, we combined both drugs trying to put maximum therapeutic effect on this life threatening profound DIC patient.