[Hormone therapy for prostate cancer].

Hormonal deprivation has been used for more than 60 years in the treatment of advanced prostate cancer However, the optimal form of this therapy is still an enigma. This review discusses some of the current challenges in the hormonal management of prostate cancer, regarding complete androgen blockade, intermittent treatment and the question of whether early hormonal deprivation is superior to delayed therapy. The choice of hormone therapy for cancer of the prostate depends not only on the desired progression free survival and overall survival but also an the patient's quality of life and on the treatment toxicities and costs.