Your hormone therapy treatment

Hormone therapy blocks the action of hormones which encourage tumour cells to grow, therefore limiting tumour-cell growth.

It is only prescribed for hormone-dependent tumours such as breast or prostate cancer.

It is often complementary to other cancer treatments such as chemotherapy, surgery or radiotherapy.

What is hormone therapy?

It is a treatment which inhibits the formation or action of the hormone which feeds some types of tumour cells.

The cells of these tumours have receptors (proteins) which attach to hormones such as oestrogen or progesterone and depend on them to grow. These drugs either block this union or decrease the body’s hormone levels.

The tumour is destroyed or reduced, improving survival and quality of life.

What type of tumours are treated with hormone therapy?

Hormone-dependent tumours which depend on hormones for growth are usually:

Breast cancer
Prostate cancer

Other cancers such as those of the endometrium or ovary, or neuroendocrine tumours can also be treated with hormone therapy.

Usually we need to find out if the cancer cells have hormone receptors, to do this a biopsy (extraction of a piece of tumour) is required. If the specimen presents these receptors, then this treatment may work.

What is treatment like?

It can be given:

Prior to surgery (as neoadjuvant therapy),
cwith the aim of reducing the size of the tumour to enable its removal. This treatment often lasts 3-6 months prior to surgery.
After surgery or radiotherapy (adjuvant therapy)
to reduce the risk of recurrence. Treatment duration is often 5 to 10 years.
Treatment of disseminated disease,
to control symptoms or prevent disease progression. Treatment duration depends on the progression of the disease and how well it responds to treatment.

Hormone therapy in breast cancer

Women’s hormones change throughout their life, the amount and origin of oestrogen varies depending on the stage of a woman’s reproductive life.

In premenopausal women:

Treatment:

Antioestrogens:
They impede the union of oestrogens and oestrogen receptors (ER) in the cancer cells.
They inhibit the growth of the tumour.

Induction of menopause

Surgical:
Through extraction or irradiation of the ovaries, permanently eradicating ovarian function.
Chemical:
Drugs that interfere with the pituitary gland (in the brain), responsible for stimulating the ovaries to produce oestrogen (LHRH).
This can be reversible.
Administration: subcutaneous or intramuscular once a month.

In post-menopausal women:

Oestrogen is lower,

Treatment:

Aromatase inhibitors:
Impede the production of oestrogens through aromatase, reducing levels in the blood.
Oral administration.

Hormone therapy in prostate cancer

The aim is to reduce the number of male hormones (androgens) which help cancer cells to grow.
Themajority of prostate cancers present androgen receptors.
Androgens are mainly produced in the testicles in the form of testosterone, and in a small part in the adrenal glands.

Treatment:

Orchidectomy:

Partial excision of the testicles, removing only the part where testosterone is produced.

Drug treatment:

LHRH analogues: act on the pituitary gland (brain) to prevent stimulation of hormone production. Administered through periodic injection.
Antiandrogens:prevent androgens produced in the adrenal glands from acting on the prostate.