What is hormone therapy?
Hormones are chemicals produced by glands, such as the ovaries and testicles. Hormones help some types of cancer cells to grow, such as breast cancer and prostate cancer. In other cases, hormones can kill cancer cells, make cancer cells grow more slowly, or stop them from growing. Hormone therapy as a cancer treatment may involve taking medications that interfere with the activity of the hormone or stop the production of the hormones. Hormone therapy may involve surgically removing a gland that is producing the the hormones. How does hormone therapy work? Your physician may recommend a hormone receptor test to help determine treatment options and to help learn more about the tumor. This test can help to predict whether the cancer cells are sensitive to hormones. The hormone receptor test measures the amount of certain proteins (called hormone receptors) in cancer tissue. Hormones (such as estrogen and progesterone that naturally occur in the body) can attach to these proteins. If the t
Produced mainly in the testicles, the male hormone testosterone causes prostate cancer cells to grow. Reducing testosterone levels can make the prostate cancer shrink and become less active. The goal of hormone therapy is to lower the level of male hormones in the body, particularly testosterone. Hormone therapy does not cure the cancer and is often used to treat persons whose cancer has spread or recurred after treatment. Most studies show that hormone therapy works better if it is started early.
Hormone therapy (HT) is a treatment program in which a woman who has a uterus takes estrogen and progestin (a synthetic form of progesterone) to relieve menopause symptoms and to reduce the risk of osteoporosis, which becomes more common after menopause. Studies are being done to determine how long a woman needs to take HT to reduce these risks. Research has shown that estrogen replacement may increase a woman’s life span. The majority of the benefits of HT appear to be linked with estrogen. Many women who have had hysterectomies (removal of the uterus through surgery) can take estrogen alone. Estrogen is available in these forms: pills (taken by mouth), rings, skin patches, or vaginal creams or tablets. Progestin is usually taken in pill form but is also available in skin patch and vaginal gel form.
Hormone therapy (HT) is a treatment program in which a woman who has a uterus takes estrogen and progestin (a synthetic form of progesterone) to relieve menopause symptoms and to reduce the risk of osteoporosis, which becomes more common after menopause. Studies are being done to determine how long a woman needs to take HT to reduce these risks. Research has shown that estrogen replacement might increase a woman’s life span. The majority of the benefits of HT appear to be linked with estrogen. Many women who have had hysterectomies (removal of the uterus through surgery) can take estrogen alone. Estrogen is available in these forms: pills (taken by mouth), rings, skin patches, or vaginal creams or tablets. Progestin is usually taken in pill form but is also available in skin patch and vaginal gel form.
Several prescription drugs are available to help relieve menopause-related symptoms and decrease long-term health risks across the menopause transition and beyond. Hormone therapies are the prescription drugs used most often when treating menopause symptoms. • Estrogen therapy (ET) has been widely studied and used for more than 50 years by millions of women. Many kinds of estrogen therapy are available in the United States and Canada to treat menopause-related symptoms. A variety of estrogen types, delivery systems, and dosage strengths give each woman a better chance to find which option is best for her. • Progestogen, another hormone, has sometimes been used alone during perimenopause to treat symptoms such as hot flashes, to manage abnormal uterine bleeding, or to counter “estrogen dominance” that can occur in some women as estrogen levels fluctuate to high levels during this transition. There are various progestogen options, and they allow tailoring to a woman’s unique needs. • Com
