Prostate Cancer Hormone Therapy: Use of Drugs or Surgery to Contain the Cancer
Prostate cancer hormone therapy or androgen deprivation therapy as it is also known is a form of treatment in which drugs or surgery are used to reduce the production of male hormones or androgens as they are also referred to and, thereby stop or limit the growth of prostate cancer. A feature of prostate cancer is that it is hormone sensitive or hormone dependent and, it is dependent on androgens such as testosterone and, a major goal of prostate cancer hormone therapy is to significantly lessen testosterone levels in the blood and. thereby slow down the rate of prostate cancer cell growth. Prostate cancer hormone therapy is the leading prostate cancer treatment method used when prostate cancer spreads to distant sites in the human body that includes the lymph mode, bone as well as other organs. It may be noted that prostate cancer hormone therapy is a means of controlling the growth of prostate cancer and, is not a cure, which in any case, is yet to be discovered. This form of hormone therapy will shrink the tumors as well as put a halt or limit prostate cancer for a number of years.
Two Different Methods
Prostate cancer hormone therapy is especially useful for treating men that have cancer that is spreading beyond the prostate gland as well as men that have had radical prostatectomy or radiation therapy where the incidence of prostate cancer has returned. It is also useful in cases where men have large prostate glands and, this form of hormone therapy reduces the size of these glands so that they may be treated through cryosurgery, more effectively.
There are two prostate cancer hormone therapy methods that include orchiectomy and hormone therapy drugs. Orchiectomy is a method by which doctors surgically removes the testicles that are the producers of most of the body’s testosterone. Besides this surgical operation, doctors may also use LHRD analog drugs that will constrain the action of a majority of the body’s testosterone as well as other androgens. There is also the use of LHRH drugs as well as anti-androgens to effect total androgen blockade by using drugs that do not allow the production of the body’s lingering male hormones.
There is considerable agreement between scientists as well as urologists on hormone deprivation in the treatment of prostate cancer but, controversy still arises when it comes to choosing different options. Debate continues to rage about whether to use monotherapy or complete androgen blockade, early vs. late hormonal deprivation and whether to have continuous or intermittent androgen deprivation. Prostate cancer hormone therapy will check the cancer but, there are certain unpleasant side effects but, it can also improve cure rates when combined with radiation or surgery.