Since my therapy has entered a new phase, incorporating 'Combined Androgen Blockade' (CAB) and Radiation Therapy, I thought a review of Hormone Therapy (HT) was necessary. In what follows you will see how HT and Anti-Androgen Therapy combine to become CAB. In a further post, we will look at the combination of CAB and IMRT with 'gold seed markers'.
The male sex hormone testosterone feeds the growth of prostate cells and prostate cancer. Male hormones are called androgens. Prostate cancer hormone therapy works by ablating or depriving testosterone in the body. With no hormone to fuel their growth, the cells stop growing. Hormone therapy does not provide a cure; the prostate cancer does not “starve” to death, but for a time the spread of the disease can be slowed or even halted.
Hormone therapy is most versatile of the postate cancer treatments. the ablation and deprivation of testosterone can be used as adjuvant therapy, neoadjuvant therapy, or monotherapy for either primary or salavage treatment. Adjuvant and neoadjuvant hormone therapy is more common for primary treatment. Androgen ablation and deprivation monotherapy is more common during salvage treatment.
During primary therapy, hormone therapy is given to shrink the volume of the prostate gland and tumor. Eventually, the prostate cells become resistant to the androgen deprivation therapy and begin to grow again. When prostate cells become resistant, the next steps are either to stop hormone therapy to see if the reintroduction of testosterone can slow the growth, or chemotherapy.
The testicles produce 90 percent to 95 percent of the body’s testosterone. The adrenal glands produce the remaining 5 percent to 10 percent. The two types of hormone therapies used to combat prostate cancer are castration or anti – androgens. There are two types of castration: surgical castration, also called orchiectomy or orchidectomy, and chemical castration, caused by LHRH agonists and LHRH antagonists.
LHRH agonists and antagonists are usually taken through injections or analogs which continuously release the therapy over a period of time. Castration affects production of testosterone in the testicles, while LHRH antagonists and agonists interrupt the communication in the brain when the brain is ordering the production of more testosterone.
Anti – androgens affect the hormones that are produced in the adrenal glands. They are designed to block receptors in the prostate cells and prevent androgens from feeding cancer cell growth. Anti-androgens are taken orally as a pill or tablet. The female sex hormone, estrogen is also sometimes used for hormone therapy.
The male sex hormone testosterone feeds the growth of prostate cells and prostate cancer. Male hormones are called androgens. Prostate cancer hormone therapy works by ablating or depriving testosterone in the body. With no hormone to fuel their growth, the cells stop growing. Hormone therapy does not provide a cure; the prostate cancer does not “starve” to death, but for a time the spread of the disease can be slowed or even halted.
Hormone therapy is most versatile of the postate cancer treatments. the ablation and deprivation of testosterone can be used as adjuvant therapy, neoadjuvant therapy, or monotherapy for either primary or salavage treatment. Adjuvant and neoadjuvant hormone therapy is more common for primary treatment. Androgen ablation and deprivation monotherapy is more common during salvage treatment.
During primary therapy, hormone therapy is given to shrink the volume of the prostate gland and tumor. Eventually, the prostate cells become resistant to the androgen deprivation therapy and begin to grow again. When prostate cells become resistant, the next steps are either to stop hormone therapy to see if the reintroduction of testosterone can slow the growth, or chemotherapy.
The testicles produce 90 percent to 95 percent of the body’s testosterone. The adrenal glands produce the remaining 5 percent to 10 percent. The two types of hormone therapies used to combat prostate cancer are castration or anti – androgens. There are two types of castration: surgical castration, also called orchiectomy or orchidectomy, and chemical castration, caused by LHRH agonists and LHRH antagonists.
LHRH agonists and antagonists are usually taken through injections or analogs which continuously release the therapy over a period of time. Castration affects production of testosterone in the testicles, while LHRH antagonists and agonists interrupt the communication in the brain when the brain is ordering the production of more testosterone.
Anti – androgens affect the hormones that are produced in the adrenal glands. They are designed to block receptors in the prostate cells and prevent androgens from feeding cancer cell growth. Anti-androgens are taken orally as a pill or tablet. The female sex hormone, estrogen is also sometimes used for hormone therapy.
When several hormone therapies are used together, it is called Combined Androgen Blockade or CAB, but may also be called total androgen blockade, combined hormonal therapy, or complete hormonal blockade. Combined androgen blockade usually consists of castration and anti – androgens. All men who undergo hormone therapy will experience side effects, however, men who undergo CAB tend to experience more side effects due to the elimination of 100 percent of the body’s testosterone.
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