They are chemicals produced by glands in the body. These hormones travel through the bloodstream to various organs and can affect the growth and reproduction of certain cells.
It is a type of treatment used to treat certain types of cancer that depend on hormones to grow and spread. Hormone therapy is used to control the activity of hormones in the body or to change the way hormones interact with cancer cells.
The use of hormone therapy is determined by the type and stage of cancer and the hormones involved in its growth. The potential benefits and risks associated with hormone therapy are evaluated according to the patient's condition and the treating physician's instructions.
It should be noted that the specific details of hormonal cancer treatment vary greatly depending on the type of cancer and the patient's condition. Therefore, please consult your medical team for specific and reliable information about hormone therapy for your specific cancer condition.
Endometrial Cancer
Ovarian Cancer
Prostate Cancer
Breast Cancer
Your healthcare provider may give you hormone therapy before or after other cancer treatments. If hormone therapy is given before your initial treatment, it's called neoadjuvant therapy. These treatments help kill cancer cells and help make primary treatment, often surgical, work better.
If they're given after your initial treatment, it's called adjuvant therapy to improve your chances of cure.
For some types of cancer, hormone therapy is given as soon as cancer is diagnosed and before any other treatment. It may shrink the tumor or stop the disease from growing.
Different types of hormonal therapy work to:
It's worth noting that hormone therapy is used either through pills given to the patient orally, through intramuscular or subcutaneous injections, or through surgery to remove the organs that produce hormones, such as the ovaries in females or the testicles in males.
The duration of treatment depends on the type of cancer being treated, the type of medication being administered, and other health conditions the patient suffers from. It's worth noting that hormone therapy can be given for weeks, months, or years.
Hormone therapy is used to inhibit the growth of cancer cells that rely on hormones to grow and spread. By inhibiting the activity of hormones or changing their interaction with cancer cells, tumor growth and disease progression can be reduced.
Hormone therapy is an effective method for treating certain types of cancers that are sensitive to hormones, such as estrogen-positive breast cancer and prostate cancer.
Hormone therapy can be used in some cases after initial treatment to prevent cancer recurrence or reduce the risk of recurrence.
In some cases, hormone therapy may be used instead of other, more destructive treatments. Therefore, it may be a suitable option for patients who cannot tolerate or prefer to avoid surgical procedures.
Hormone therapy can improve symptoms associated with cancer, such as pain or psychological symptoms.
Hormone therapy for cancer may have some side effects, which vary from person to person and depend on the type of cancer and the type of hormone therapy used. In general, the most common side effects of hormone therapy include:
We note that these side effects are just examples. There may be other potential side effects that vary depending on the treatment used and the individual patient. Patients should discuss potential side effects with their healthcare team before starting hormone therapy and manage them appropriately.
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