Tuesday, October 9, 2012

Hormone Therapy For Prostate Cancer

If avoiding delays in starting the hormonal treatment of prostate cancer, it increases the chances of survival of the patient.
Prostate cancer is the most common malignancy and is the leading cause of cancer death in men. About 85 percent of men with this cancer is diagnosed early and treated with surgery and radiotherapy.

Fortunately, when diagnosed and treated quickly, overcoming cancer and patient survival is high.

Prostate Cancer

In some people, however, prostate cancer can be found in its advanced stages, when the tumor cells have spread to different body parts. This may occur because prostate tumors grow slowly and symptoms may be overlooked or ignored. In these cases, surgery and radiotherapy may not be sufficient to treat the disease.

Hormone therapy for prostate cancer may be necessary when the cancer cells have metastasized (spread) to other parts of the body such as the lymph nodes, bones, liver and lungs.

Since the male hormones androgen and testosterone calls support the growth of these tumors, surgically reduced and pharmacologically levels can delay or control the growth and spread of cancer.

What is hormone therapy?

  • Surgically by removing the testes is testosterone which occurs.
  • Pharmacologically using inhibitors drugs, used to block the synthesis of the male hormone by the adrenal glands.
  • Some urologists use both methods, surgical and chemical castration, to deprive prostate hormonal support and prevent cancer growth.
  • Another method comprises administering to the patient with advanced prostate cancer, estrogen, to counteract the effects of testosterone.
Benefits and risks of hormone therapy

While overall cure is unlikely for advanced prostate cancer with metastasis , it is estimated that hormonal manipulation reduces tumor size between 85% and 90% of patients, as reported by the National Cancer Institute of EE. UU .

This results in delaying the progression of cancer, reducing the symptoms such as pain and urinary problems and an increased survival rate.

However, apart from controlling the disease, there are some side effects and risks involved in the hormonal treatment of prostate cancer, such as:

  • Nausea and vomiting.
  • Flushing.
  • Anemia.
  • Lethargy .
  • Osteoporosis.
  • Swelling.
  • Erectile Dysfunction .
It is also possible that a patient with prostate cancer may be resistant to hormone therapy and the urologist may prescribe chemotherapy instead.

This type of treatment involves the use of drugs to kill cancer cells that border normal cells and can affect them, causing unwanted side effects.

Research and controversies about hormone therapy

Some debate still exists regarding the use of hormone therapy for prostate cancer such as:

  • The benefits of using a drug against a regime of total androgen blockade for cancer control.
  • The benefits of hormone therapy early against late to avoid complications.
  • The benefits of hormone therapy continuously against intermittent, to improve the quality of life of patients.
  • Many clinical trials are ongoing to improve the treatment of prostate cancer with hormone therapy. Several drugs with fewer side effects are still being tested, and are awaiting approval by the FDA (U.S. Food and Drug Administration).
These drugs provide a brilliant life expectancy for patients with prostate cancer at an advanced stage.

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