Abstract: Background and purpose: Docetaxel plus prednisone chemotherapy can improve the patients’ survival for castrate-resistant prostate cancer. Angiogenesis inhibitors can also inhibit the growth of tumor. The curative effect of combined treatment is still not clear. This study aimed to evaluate the efficacy of docetaxel plus prednisone combined with thalidomide in treating castrate-resistant prostate cancer (CRPC) patients with bone metastasis. Methods: A total number of 78 CRPC patients were selected in Fuzhou General Hospital from Dec. 2008 to Jun. 2015. Seventy-eight patients were divided into two groups: 40 patients in chemotherapy group (docetaxel plus prednisone) and 38 patients in combined treatment group (docetaxel plus prednisone combined with thalidomide). A total number of 78 subjects were evaluated by the effective rate, the remission rate of bone pain, the prostate specific antigen (PSA) progression-free survival, the overall survival and adverse effect. Results: The response rate (65.79%) and the remission rate of bone pain (86.84%) in combined treatment group were both higher than those in chemotherapy group (40.00% and 60.00%, P<0.05). The PSA progression-free survival (4.13 months), progression-free survival (4.25 months) and the overall survival (18.06 months) in combined treatment group were all longer than those in chemotherapy group (3.54, 3.75 and 16.26 months). The PSA pro-gression-free survival was significantly longer in combined treatment group (P<0.05). There was no significant difference in the overall survival between two groups (P>0.05). The rates of adverse effects including peripheral neuritis and lethargy in combined treatment group (26.32% and 55.26%) were higher than those in chemotherapy group (5.00% and 17.50%, P<0.05). Conclusion: Thalidomide combined with docetaxel plus prednisone in CRPC patients with bone metastasis can prolong the PSA progression-free survival and overall survival. The adverse effects are mild. It may become a new choice of
treatment for CRPC.

Key words: Castrate-resistant prostate cancer, Thalidomide, Bone metastasis, Chemotherapy