Prostate cancer is the most common cancer in men in Europe and the United 
States, and the third leading cause of death from cancer in Europe. Survival of 
prostate cancer cells is dependent on the activation of androgen receptors (AR), 
that are overexpressed in this tumor. Furthermore, ~90% of prostate cancer 
patients that respond to first-line androgen deprivation therapy (ADT) undergo 
rapid progression. This condition is defined as castration-resistant prostate 
cancer (CRPC). Docetaxel-based regimens significantly improve overall survival 
(OS) in patients with CRPC and represent the only treatment strategy approved by 
the Food and Drug Administration (FDA). Recently, abiraterone (second hormonal 
therapy) and cabazitaxel (new taxane) have been shown to improve survival in 
patients with CRPC who progressed following docetaxel-based chemotherapy. 
Vaccine therapy has also been demonstrated to improve OS in patients with 
asymptomatic or minimally symptomatic metastatic CRPC. Additional therapeutic 
targets have been analyzed in prostate cancer, including apoptosis, angiogenic 
receptors, vitamin D and Src pathways. Several phase II studies are ongoing. The 
high frequency of prostate cancer-related metastatic bone disease has led to 
consider this pathway as a therapeutic target. To this end, several 
bone-targeted agents have been investigated, most notably zoledronic acid, which 
is highly effective at stabilizing the bone and preventing skeletal 
complications. More recently, a nuclear factor-β ligand (RANKL) inhibitor, 
denosumab, has been developed for the treatment of bone metastases.