[Intermittent versus continuous androgen blockade]

Androgenablation is the therapy of choice for the treatment of advanced and metastatic prostate cancer. However, in more than half of the patients the disease will ultimately progress within 2 years. Intermittent androgenablation through medical castration maintains the apoptotic potential. By periodically changing phases on and off treatment the quality of life of the patients is improved. Apart from reduced toxicity treatment costs are lowered and tumor progression is possibly delayed. In how far survival is influenced is presently not clear and remains to be evaluated in further clinical trials.