Russian prostate cancer market expected to grow 6% annually from 2011 to 2016

The total number of diagnosed incident cases of prostate cancer in Russia will increase at five percent annually from 2011 to 2016, driven mostly by an aging population and the rising number of disease diagnoses, according to Prostate Cancer in Russia, a new report form health care advisory firm Decision Resources, which notes that the expanding patient population will largely contribute to the growth of the Russia’s prostate cancer drug market, which is forecasted to grow 6% annually over the next 10 years.

The report also reveal that a gradual increase and continued use of branded luteinizing hormone-releasing hormone (LHRH) agonists, such as AstraZeneca’s Zoladex (goserelin) and Pharm-Sintez's Buserelin (buserelin acetate), will supplement prostate cancer market growth in Russia through 2016.

LHRH agonists and antiandrogens are the most commonly prescribed agents for localized and metastatic patients, in addition to prescribed chemotherapy for the latter patient group. Among uses of hormonal agents for the treatment of prostate cancer, branded LHRH agonists will partially replace lower-priced, generically available antiandrogens, particularly the monotherapy regimens. This change will parallel the shift in medical practice that has already taken place in the major markets.