Hormones are substances that play a role in the growth of cancers. Hormone therapy has become essential in the treatment of tumors of the prostate. Discover this essential care.
Among cancers known hormone or hormone, the proliferation of certain types of cancer cells is stimulated by hormones. Androgens produced by the testes are able to play a role in the development of prostate cancers.
The principle and details of hormone
HormonothérapieL’hormonothérapie is to block to stop hormones stimulate cancer. To do this, we can resort to surgical removal of the testicles or medication (tablets or injections). Several compounds are available.
Hormone therapy is usually reserved for cancers that are no longer confined to the prostate (lesions in the bones and lungs). This treatment may also be prescribed in case of failure or inadequacy of local treatment (prostatectomy, radiotherapy or brachytherapy) or in combination with these treatments.
It is usually given over the long term (life) or intermittently (to reduce the intensity and frequency of side effects) or temporarily (when combined with another treatment).
New molecules to face prostate cancer
To treat prostate cancer, hormone therapy offers many possibilities. Different molecules or associations exist. If all act the same way (chemical castration), they have different side effects:
* Inhibitors hormones LH-RH: They are effective but will cause significant side effects, such qu’impuissance, flushing …
* The anti-androgenic steroids: they result in lower testosterone levels and thus of libido and sexual potency;
* The anti-androgen devices: they do not lower testosterone levels and thus preserve sexuality, particularly among young men. But they can lead to gynecomastia (breast development) important;
* Estrogen: they are no longer used because of cardiovascular problems they caused.
The use of one or other of these compounds or associations depends on each case (the tumor mass, age of patients …).
Side effects and exhaust
These treatments may have some side effects. On the sex hormone can cause a decrease in desire and sexual potency (sometimes impotence). Hot flashes and decreased bone density with increased risk of fracture (in the case of treatment in the long term) may occur. But prostate cancer cells do not remain inactive address the shortage of testosterone. After a certain time (depending on the individuals of a few months to several years), they adapt to this situation and go back to proliferate … Faced with this situation (as revealed by an increase in PSA), hormonal treatment should be changed or replaced by local treatment.