Some hormones tend to stimulate the growth of cancer cells in certain types of cancer. This is due to receptors that are expressed on the plasma membrane of cancer cells. Hormone therapy can be used separately or in conjunction with other types of treatment. For women, treatment with hormone therapy is prescribed for some types of breast, endometrial, or ovarian cancer. In the case of breast cancer, a biopsy is performed to help determine the types of expressed progesterone and estrogen receptors.
If, based on the results of the biopsy, the receptors are expressed, then hormone therapy is prescribed to prevent the risk of relapse or local - distant distribution. If a woman is in the period of menopause, then a separate type of hormonal treatment is prescribed to her. Also referred to as hormonal or endocrine therapy, this cancer treatment is different from menopausal hormone replacement therapy HRT , which refers to the prescription of supplemental hormones to help relieve the symptoms of menopause.
Certain cancers rely on hormones to grow. Breast and prostate cancers are the two types most commonly treated with hormone therapy. Most breast cancers have either estrogen ER or progesterone PR receptors, or both, which means they need these hormones to grow and spread. By contrast, prostate cancer needs testosterone and other male sex hormones, such as dihydrotestosterone DHT , to grow and spread.
Hormone therapy may help make these hormones less available to growing cancer cells. Hormone therapy is available via pills, injection or surgery that removes hormone-producing organs, namely the ovaries in women and the testicles in men. If hormone therapy is part of your treatment plan, discuss potential risks or side effects with your care team so that you know what to expect and can take steps to reduce them.
Let doctors know about all your other medications to avoid interactions. Estrogen production declines dramatically after menopause. Premenopausal women produce too much aromatase for the inhibitors to work effectively. Patients may receive aromatase inhibitors before surgery to shrink tumors for easier removal, or after treatment to prevent breast cancer from returning.
These drugs may also play a role in breast cancer prevention for certain people who are at high risk. In women , the ovaries — as well as fat and skin cells — produce hormones called estrogen and progesterone. These hormones contribute to a woman's sexual characteristics and reproductive functions.
They can also promote the growth of some breast cancer. In men , the testicles — and, to a smaller extent, the adrenal glands — produce testosterone and dihydrotestosterone.
These hormones regulate a man's sexual development and function. When the body makes too many of these hormones, they can cause cancer of the prostate. It stops the flood of hormones to the affected tissues and deprives the cancer of what it needs to grow.
Some drugs stop the production of natural hormones altogether. This also stops or slows the growth of the cancer. For general information or questions , call For appointments , contact your preferred doctor or location directly. Skip to Content. Learn more.
Clinical Trials Our experts conduct clinical trials to deliver cutting-edge treatment to our patients. Disadvantages It can cause side effects that might have a big impact on your daily life. What are the side effects of hormone therapy? Hot flushes Hot flushes are a common side effect of hormone therapy. I have hot flushes through the night. I used to be angry but now I use the cooling off time to stretch and plan the next day. Extreme tiredness fatigue Hormone therapy can make you feel extremely tired, which could affect your everyday life.
This may improve over time and there are things you can do to help manage fatigue. Support for fatigue Our fatigue support service is a week telephone service delivered by our Specialist Nurses. Changes to your sex life Hormone therapy can cause the following changes to your sex life: less desire for sex low libido problems getting or keeping an erection erectile dysfunction producing less semen and having less intense orgasms changes to the size of your penis and the size or shape of your testicles.
Memory problems can also happen naturally as you get older. Breast swelling or tenderness Hormone therapy may cause swelling gynaecomastia or tenderness in the chest area. Breast swelling is more common in men who are taking anti-androgen on their own. Loss of body hair Some men lose their body hair while they are on hormone therapy. Bone thinning Testosterone helps to keep bones strong. Anti-androgens are less likely to cause bone thinning than other types of hormone therapy.
Risk of other health problems Hormone therapy may slightly increase your chance of developing other health problems, including: heart disease stroke type-2 diabetes blood clots. Changes to your mood Hormone therapy can affect your mood. Just knowing that hormone therapy might be causing these feelings can help. Skin problems If you are on degarelix, the skin around the area where you have the injections may feel red, hard, swollen and sore. How will I know if my treatment is working? Questions to ask your doctor or nurse What is the aim of treatment?
What type of hormone therapy are you recommending for me and why? How often will I have my injections or implants? How will my treatment be monitored? How long will it be before we know if the hormone therapy is working? What are the possible side effects, and how long will they last? What will happen if I decide to stop my treatment?
Are there any clinical trials that I could take part in? Full list of references. Maximal androgen blockade for advanced prostate cancer. Cochrane Database Syst Rev. Eur Urol. National Institute for Health and Care Excellence.
Prostate cancer: diagnosis and management. NICE guideline European Association of Urology; Clin Oncol. Effectiveness of androgen-deprivation therapy and radiotherapy for older men with locally advanced prostate cancer. J Clin Oncol [Internet]. Combined androgen deprivation therapy and radiation therapy for locally advanced prostate cancer: a randomised, phase 3 trial. The Lancet. Urol Int. Androgen deprivation therapy: past, present and future. BJU Int. Degarelix for treating advanced hormone-dependent prostate cancer.
Technology appraisal guidance [Internet]. Available from: www. Efficacy, safety, and dose comparison of degarelix for the treatment of prostate cancer: A systematic review and meta-analysis. World J Meta-Anal. The efficacy and safety of degarelix: a month, comparative, randomized, open-label, parallel-group phase III study in patients with prostate cancer.
Prostate Cancer Prostatic Dis. Non-steroidal antiandrogen monotherapy compared with luteinising hormone-releasing hormone agonists or surgical castration monotherapy for advanced prostate cancer review.
Safety and tolerability of intermittent androgen deprivation therapy: A literature review: IAD therapy in prostate cancer. Int J Urol. Optimizing outcomes and quality of life in the hormonal treatment of prostate cancer. Tombal B.
Higano CS. Side effects of androgen deprivation therapy: monitoring and minimizing toxicity. Kumar RJ. Adverse events associated with hormonal therapy for prostate cancer. Rev Urol. Sountoulides P, Rountos T. The prevalence and severity of fatigue in men with prostate cancer: a systematic review of the literature.
J Clin Oncol. Development of UK guidance on the management of erectile dysfunction resulting from radical radiotherapy and androgen deprivation therapy for prostate cancer. Int J Clin Pract. Penile length changes in men treated with androgen suppression plus radiation therapy for local or locally advanced prostate cancer.
J Urol. J Sex Med. Urol Sci. Endocr Relat Cancer. Lifestyle guidelines for managing adverse effects on bone health and body composition in men treated with androgen deprivation therapy for prostate cancer: an update. The effect of androgen deprivation therapy on body composition in men with prostate cancer: Systematic review and meta-analysis. J Cancer Surviv. J Pain Symptom Manage. Cognitive impairment among prostate cancer patients: An overview of reviews. Eur J Cancer Care Engl.
Cognitive and neurobehavioral symptoms in patients with non-metastatic prostate cancer treated with androgen deprivation therapy or observation: A mixed methods study. Soc Sci Med. Androgen deprivation therapy for prostate cancer and dementia risk: a systematic review and meta-analysis. J Urol [Internet].
Gynecomastia - evaluation and current treatment options. Ther Clin Risk Manag. Quality of life issues in men undergoing androgen deprivation therapy: a review.
Asian J Androl. Bisphosphonate therapy in patients under androgen deprivation therapy for prostate cancer: a systematic review and meta-analysis.
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