Prostate cancer is a threat which looms increasingly large for aging men. While everyone dreads the thought of contracting this disease, some small measure of comfort can be taken in the fact that we pour countless amounts of money into combating cancer mortality rates. So while the thought of having cancer might be as frightening as ever, the possibility of surviving a bout with cancer grows by the day. For men diagnosed with prostate cancer, one possible treatment is hormone therapy.
About Prostate Cancer
Put simply, prostate cancer is a condition whereby the cells of the prostate begin growing in an abnormal and malignant fashion. If left unchecked, these abnormal cells will eventually continue growing at an accelerated rate, eventually taking over the entire body. Prostate cancer is categorized into stages (from 1 to 4), depending on how far the cancer has spread. In stages one and two, the cancer is localized to the prostate. In stage three, the cancer has spread to surrounding tissues. In stage four, the cancer has spread throughout the body via the lymph node system. If detected early, prostate cancer has a recovery rate of over 90 percent.
What is hormone therapy?
Hormone therapy is the administration of drugs designed for the purpose of altering the hormone levels in the body. Although not a cure for prostate cancer, hormone therapy can help to slow the spread of the disease. It is a useful alternative treatment for those who are otherwise unable to have surgery, those who have a recurrence of a previous bout of prostate cancer, or for those who want to use it in tandem with other treatments to increase its overall effectiveness.
How does hormone therapy work?
As it has been proven that androgens (male hormones such as testosterone and DHT) within the body facilitate the growth of cancer cells, the primary purpose of hormone therapy is to lower the level of these substances. This can be accomplished in a number of ways, including:(1) orchiectomy, which is a surgical removal of the testicles; (2) injections of luteinizing hormone-releasing hormone analogs, which chemically lowers androgen levels; (3) injections of luteinizing hormone-releasing hormone antagonists, which also works through chemical means; and (4) anti-androgens, which is a category encompassing a variety of drugs which block the body's ability to use bioavailable androgens.
What are the common side effects?
Side effects from artificially lowering androgen levels are unpleasant, to say the least. They may include: gynecomastia (the growth of male breast tissue), negative body recompositioning (loss of muscle mass and gain in fat mass), depression, fatigue, lowered red cell counts, loss of bone density, sexual dysfunction, chronic fatigue and hot flashes. These are all serious side effects, and since some of the forms of hormone therapy listed are irreversible, it would be wise to carefully weigh the alternatives before undergoing this course of action.
Further considerations
Of course, when the choice is between prolonged life expectancy at a heavy cost or a lessened life expectancy without sides effects, the decision is exemplified by being torn between scylla and charybdis. In that sense, hormone therapy to combat prostate cancer is quite a mixed bag. A study by Dr. Grace L. Lu-Yao at the University of Medicine & Dentistry of New Jersey has shown that older men with prostate cancer are better off refusing hormone treatment, as it does not increase survival rates, so that, at the very least, is a cut and dry decision (further information about the study is available is available in the July 9th issue of The Journal of the American Medical Association published in 2008). As for the others fighting prostate cancer and deciding whether to endure the rigors of hormone therapy, the decision is not so simple.
Tags: hormone therapy, hormone therapy, cancer spread, prostate cancer, androgen levels, hormone-releasing hormone