***TASK*** the task is to summarize an input biomedical literature in six sentences 
    ***INPUT*** the input is a biomedical literature 
    ***OUTPUT*** the output is the summary of an input biomedical literature in six sentences 
    ***DOCUMENTATION*** 
    ***EXAMPLES*** 
    Input: PURPOSE Both docetaxel and thalidomide have demonstrated activity in and rogen-independent prostate cancer ( AIPC ) . We compared the efficacy of docetaxel to docetaxel plus thalidomide in patients with AIPC . METHODS Seventy-five patients with chemotherapy-naïve metastatic AIPC were r and omly assigned to receive either docetaxel 30 mg/m(2 ) intravenously every week for 3 consecutive weeks , followed by a 1-week rest period ( n = 25 ) ; or docetaxel at the same dose and schedule , plus thalidomide 200 mg orally each day ( n = 50 ) . Prostate-specific antigen ( PSA ) consensus criteria and radiographic scans were used to determine the proportion of patients with a PSA decline , and time to progression . RESULTS After a median potential follow-up time of 26.4 months , the proportion of patients with a greater than 50 % decline in PSA was higher in the docetaxel/thalidomide group ( 53 % in the combined group , 37 % in docetaxel-alone arm ) . The median progression-free survival in the docetaxel group was 3.7 months and 5.9 months in the combined group ( P = .32 ) . At 18 months , overall survival in the docetaxel group was 42.9 % and 68.2 % in the combined group . Toxicities in both groups were manageable after administration of prophylactic low-molecular-weight heparin in the combination group . CONCLUSION In this r and omized phase II trial , the addition of thalidomide to docetaxel result ed in an encouraging PSA decline rate and overall median survival rate in patients with metastatic AIPC . After the prophylactic low-molecular-weight heparin was instituted to prevent venous thromboses , the combination regimen was well tolerated . Larger r and omized trials are warranted to assess the impact of this combination THE Fetal Life Study received an inquiry early in 1962 concerning the incidence of  phocomelia  in relation to a recent increase that had been observed in West Germany . The Fetal Life Study 1 , 2 was established in 1946 in a selected population at the Columbia – Presbyterian Medical Center as a long-term prospect i ve epidemiologic investigation of human reproduction , to determine the incidence of fetal deaths , neonatal deaths and congenital malformations and to delineate associated factors . From more than 10,000 pregnancies prospect ively followed in the years 1946 to 1960 , and more than 2000 followed in 1961 , we were unable to find any cases of phocomelia . . Attitudes toward the use of chemotherapy in patients with prostate carcinoma have changed as new therapeutics have demonstrated efficacy . This is important as r and omized trials using chemotherapy are proposed . The authors used a question naire to investigate the attitudes of physicians in the New Engl and area who care for patients with advanced prostate carcinoma New therapeutic alternatives are needed to improve outcomes in patients with and rogen-independent prostate cancer ( AIPC ) . For several years , research ers at the National Cancer Institute have been interested in elucidating the importance of angiogenesis in the pathogenesis of prostate cancer and in identifying inhibitors of this process . Thalidomide has been shown to inhibit the ability of tumors to recruit new blood vessels . In a recent phase II trial of thalidomide in AIPC , 28 % of patients achieved a prostate-specific antigen ( PSA ) decrease of > 40 % . The taxane docetaxel also produces PSA and measurable disease responses when used as monotherapy or as a component of combination chemotherapy for AIPC . Thus , based on the single-agent activity of thalidomide and docetaxel , we initiated a r and omized phase II study of weekly docetaxel with or without thalidomide , 200 mg at bedtime , in patients with chemotherapy-naive metastatic AIPC .  Docetaxel , 30 mg/m(2 ) intravenously , was administered every 7 days for 3 weeks , followed by a 1-week rest period . Both regimens have been well tolerated among the first 59 treated patients , with a near absence of grade ( 3/4 ) myelosuppression . Fatigue , hyperglycemia , and pulmonary toxicity were seen in both groups . Thrombotic events have been seen in the combination arm . Thirty-five percent ( 6 of 17 ) of the patients receiving docetaxel alone and 53 % ( 19 of 36 ) of those receiving docetaxel and thalidomide have had a PSA decrease of at least 50 % . Combining a cytotoxic agent with an angiogenesis inhibitor is a promising area of investigation for prostate cancer management BACKGROUND Patients with myeloma who relapse after high-dose chemotherapy have few therapeutic options . Since increased bone marrow vascularity imparts a poor prognosis in myeloma , we evaluated the efficacy of thalidomide , which has antiangiogenic properties , in patients with refractory disease . METHODS Eighty-four previously treated patients with refractory myeloma ( 76 with a relapse after high-dose chemotherapy ) received oral thalidomide as a single agent for a median of 80 days ( range , 2 to 465 ) . The starting dose was 200 mg daily , and the dose was increased by 200 mg every two weeks until it reached 800 mg per day . Response was assessed on the basis of a reduction of the myeloma protein in serum or Bence Jones protein in urine that lasted for at least six weeks . RESULTS The serum or urine levels of paraprotein were reduced by at least 90 percent in eight patients ( two had a complete remission ) , at least 75 percent in six patients , at least 50 percent in seven patients , and at least 25 percent in six patients , for a total rate of response of 32 percent . Reductions in the paraprotein levels were apparent within two months in 78 percent of the patients with a response and were associated with decreased numbers of plasma cells in bone marrow and increased hemoglobin levels . The microvascular density of bone marrow did not change significantly in patients with a response . At least one third of the patients had mild or moderate constipation , weakness or fatigue , or somnolence . More severe adverse effects were infrequent ( occurring in less than 10 percent of patients ) , and hematologic effects were rare . As of the most recent follow-up , 36 patients had died ( 30 with no response and 6 with a response ) . After 12 months of follow-up , Kaplan-Meier estimates of the mean ( + /-SE ) rates of event-free survival and overall survival for all patients were 22+/-5 percent and 58+/-5 percent , respectively . CONCLUSIONS Thalidomide is active against advanced myeloma . It can induce marked and durable responses in some patients with multiple myeloma , including those who relapse after high-dose chemotherapy 
    Output:
    
Total three studies were finally included , indicating that docetaxel plus thalidomide exhibited better survival prognosis and greater prostate-specific antigen ( PSA ) decline than docetaxel alone .
There were no significant differences of hematologic toxicities in two regimens , while the frequency of non-hematologic toxicities was higher in patients with docetaxel plus thalidomide .
Briefly , the available evidence indicates potential survival advantage in docetaxel plus thalidomide over docetaxel alone