Management of advanced prostate cancer

Geriatricians and general practitioners often follow patients with metastatic prostate cancer. The epidemiology and basic treatment principles of metastatic prostate cancer are discussed aiming to update the topic for the non-oncologist. Hormone manipulation remains the basis of treatment, usually up to a second line of therapy. Selected cases are treated successfully with intermittent androgen ablation. When new hormone-independent clones arise, chemotherapy should be added to therapy that confers improved survival as well as better quality of life when based on taxanes. In specific situations, additional measures such as bisphosphonates and radiation therapy should be included in the treatment. As a rule, the public health system makes available the necessary medication to ensure treatment for the vast majority of patients in Brazil.