THERAPY OF HORMONEREFRACTORY CANCER OF TH E PROSTATE

In patients with hormone-resistant prostate cancer primary androgen de privation eventually fails. The begin of secondary treatment is depend ing on clinical symptoms; since survival cannot be prolonged in progre ssive disease improvement of quality of life is of paramount importanc e. Altering of endocrine treatment and antiandrogen withdrawal can cau se a transient improvement of the sense of well being. Single agent ch emotherapy with little side effects should be prefered as compared wit h polychemotherapy since response rates do not exceed 30 %. Although 2 /3 of the patients benefit from chemotherapy there is however no proof that it is superior to symptom-related pain relief. The indication fo r surgical management such as TURF and spinal cord decompression is de pending on clinical symptoms from local progression and systemic disea se.