Making decisions about your health is personal. Understanding the time, efficacy, cost, side effects, & alternatives of prostate cancer (PCa) treatment is critical. This blog will help you make a smart choice about your health care. If you need more information about your treatment, contact Lazare Urology.
How can Hormone Therapy (ADT) help in prostate cancer?
Androgen Deprivation Therapy, or ADT for short, is a type of hormone therapy used to treat prostate cancer. Hormones are chemical compounds that mainly move in the circulation & act as messengers to regulate the activities of cells & organs. Insulin, cortisol, & testosterone are a few examples of hormones.
In case your physician recommends a hormone therapy treatment, like ADT, for your prostate cancer, you will be given medication to lower your testosterone levels. One of the various male hormones that are called androgens, which are vital for a healthy prostate along with other bodily functions, is testosterone, which is synthesized in the testes & adrenal glands.
Unfortunately, testosterone may also trigger the growth & spread of prostate cancer cells & hence require suppression. Prostate cancer treatment, known as “deprivation,” slows down, stops, or limits the body’s production of testosterone. Men with PCa might benefit from prostate tumors growing more slowly or shrinking as a result of depriving their bodies of androgens. ADT can be the only form of therapy required for some individuals, while it may be used in addition to other treatments like radiation for other patients.
Types of ADT
There are two known forms of ADT:
- Anti-androgens block testosterone in prostate cancer cells.
- Luteinizing Hormone Releasing Hormone (LHRH) interferes with the luteinizing hormone produced by the pituitary gland. To produce testosterone, the testes are guided by luteinizing hormones. Testosterone levels decrease when luteinizing hormone interference occurs.
Is ADT right for you?
ADT is a well-proven treatment for PCa despite the risk of serious side effects & possible long-term loss of effectiveness. But nowadays, individuals with low-stage, low-risk prostate cancer, such as Gleason 3+3, are not administered it as often. Your doctor, oncologist, or cancer care professional will go over the drug that is chosen for your ADT treatment, including how often it is used & whether it is given orally or via injection.
Potential complications to hormonal therapy
Short-term (6 months to 1 year) ADT’s effects consist of:
- Breast enlargement or discomfort can be treated with other treatments, but it goes away when ADT is stopped.
- Decreased libido/erectile dysfunction (ED) – A decline in testicular & penis size, as well as a thinning of body hair. It is the most common side effect that usually goes away after ADT is stopped.
Long-term effects (28-36 months):
- Diabetes
- Dementia
- Risk of osteoporosis or bone thinning
Make sure to speak to a doctor today!
