[Management of a hormone dependent cancer with endocrine therapy--prostate cancer]

We offer a historical overview of endocrine therapy for prostate cancer. Hormone therapy remains the cornerstone of treatment for patients with locally advanced or metastatic prostate cancer. Although this therapy has been traditionally performed by oral estrogen or bilateral orchiectomy, there are now two most important pharmacological hormonal therapies: LH-RH agonist and antiandrogen therapy. We do not have yet sufficient data to conclude whether maximal androgen blockade from the combined use of an LH-RH agonist and an antiandrogen will prolong the survival in patients with metastatic prostate cancer, nor to conclude whether neoadjuvant androgen ablation therapy improves the disease-free survival of patients after radical prostatectomy. New treatment strategies and modalities such as LH-RH antagonists, intermittent hormonal therapy, and antiandrogen monotherapy are appearing and being tested in clinical trials. However, to date there is still no effective therapy for patients who have hormone refractory disease.