Management of hormone resistant prostate cancer.

No systemic therapy has led to prolongation of life in patients with hormone resistant prostate cancer though secondary hormone treatment and chemotherapy have resulted in an about 30% response rate. The main goal of treatment is palliation and improvement of quality of life, the former aim obtained in 50-70% of the patients by radiotherapy of skeletal metastases. The evaluation of response, today assisted by the use of prostate specific antigen, and the understanding of hormone resistance remain principal topics of clinical research in hormone resistant prostate cancer.