hormone therapy

Hormone therapy

Treating cancers by changing the hormone balance of the body, instead of by using cell-killing drugs.

Mentioned in: Breast Cancer, Thyroid Cancer

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hormone therapy,

the treatment of diseases with hormones obtained from endocrine glands or substances that simulate hormonal effects. Also called endocrine therapy, hormonal therapy.

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hormone therapy

Endocrine therapy Endocrinology The use of hormones to manage deficiency states–eg, pharmacologic doses of steroids are antiinflammatory or immunosuppressive. See Ectopic hormones, Estrogen receptors Gynecology See Estrogen replacement therapy, Hormone replacement therapy Oncology A treatment modality in which hormonal effect is eliminated, blocked, or added in CAs known to respond to hormone receptor manipulation Breast cancer HT blocks receptors for estrogens and, to a lesser extent, progesterone, ↓ cancer aggressiveness Lymphoproliferative disorders Adjuvant therapy uses corticosteroids in both induction of remissions and maintenance doses Prostate cancer HT inhibits gonadotropin in the pituitary with potent analogues–eg, buserelin, leuprolide acetate, blocking gonadotropin-releasing hormone, or blocksperipheral action of androgens at the cellular level–eg, flutamide, nilutamide.

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Patient discussion about hormone therapy.

Q. Why they want to go for hormone therapy? My wife`s lumpectomy is done and after that two chemotherapies as well. She had a stage II cancer. Though she feels good now but they will give her hormone therapy. Is this required in stage II cancer? Why they want to go for hormone therapy, is there some hormone problem associated with her? What ways this it will benefit her?

A. Stage II cancer is a middle stage of the cancer with respect to its growth. It’s good if she feels better with the chemotherapy treatment. Giving this hormone therapy ensures that she will be better protected from the recurrence of the cancer. It’s not given for any hormone problem but her hormone is associated with the growth and progression of cancer. This hormone is estrogen or progesterone. They help in the growth of cancer even after the surgery, so to combat them this therapy is given.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Pon6dudPIkc&eurl=http://www.imedix.com/health_community/vPon6dudPIkc_chemotherapy?q=chemotherapy%20treatment&feature=player_embedded

Q. what need to be done for the continuation of hormone therapy (HT). what need to be done for the continuation of hormone therapy (HT), when diagnosis of breast cancer is under consideration?

A. It is not recommended to have HT at this stage, but you can ever resume back after the completion of treatment. Breast cells are programmed to respond to certain hormones as signals for growth and multiplication. The most prominent examples of these hormones are estrogens and progesterone. Many breast-cancer cells retain hormone receptors. The hormone receptors therefore make the cancerous cells responsive to these particular hormones. This issue is generally reconsidered after the completion of your evaluation and treatment. You should consult with your physician before you stop or start any new medications.

Q. why is hormonal therapy used for breast cancer.. why is hormonal therapy used for breast cancer and how good they are as compared to other therapy like chemotherapy and radiation therapy?

A. Some hormones like estrogen and progesterone attach to cancer cell and help them to multiply quickly. In the hormonal therapy these hormones are blocked to attach to cancer cells thus the multiplication of cancer slows down. Any breast cancer patient with estrogen and progesterone positive is given this therapy as they are high on risk for cancer growth by these hormones. You cannot compare this with other therapies as they are designed not to control the hormones and is a part of the treatment plan and not an alternative.