Should Primary Androgen Deprivation/Suppression Therapy Ever Be Used As A Treatment By Itself?

March 16, 2009 -- Question: Should primary androgen deprivation/suppression therapy ever be used as a treatment by itself?

Answer: Primary androgen deprivation therapy should rarely be used, if ever, for primary management of prostate cancer. There are a few men with very aggressive disease who also have metastatic disease for whom hormonal therapy or primary androgen deprivation is appropriate. But rarely, if ever, should it be used as a primary modality.