Hormone Therapy

Hormones, which can cause tumors to grow, play a key role in certain cancers like breast, ovarian and prostate cancers, and many others. If lab tests of your cancerous tissue samples test positive for certain hormone receptors, your doctors may recommend hormone therapy to help block some of the cancer-stimulating effects. Of course, your treatment options will depend on your type of cancer, condition and care goals.

Breast Cancer Hormone Therapies

If you have breast cancer, your specialist will evaluate blood and tissue samples to see whether your cancer is estrogen- and/or progesterone positive. This means the cancer cells have a lot of receptors that attract these hormones and anti-hormonal therapies can help prevent hormone-promoted tumor growth. Hormone therapy isn’t likely to be effective in women with negative estrogen and progesterone receptors.

Depending on your cancer and condition, your doctor may recommend these or other hormone therapies for breast cancer:

• Anti-estrogens. Common estrogen-blocking medications include tamoxifen, toremifene and raloxifene. Sometimes called anti-hormone therapies, they can have varied uses, such as blocking estrogen produced by ovaries or preventing bone loss from hormone imbalances. Age-related changes and individual hormonal differences affect treatment options. For example, women with positive receptors who haven’t gone through menopause are more likely to receive anti-estrogens.
• Aromatase inhibitors. This group of medications includes anastrozole, letrozole and exemestane. These anti-hormones block estrogen that women’s bodies produce after menopause. If a woman with positive estrogen receptors has gone through menopause, she’s more likely to benefit from an aromatase inhibitor.

Women’s Reproductive System Cancers

Estrogen, progesterone and hormone disorders or imbalances can affect reproductive system cancers, such as ovarian cancer and endometrial cancer (cancer of the uterus). Your doctors will review your symptoms and condition, whether you’ve been through menopause or other changes, your type and stage of cancer, hormone levels and receptors, and other diagnostic test results. This information will guide you as you and your doctors discuss treatment options.

Men’s Reproductive System Cancers

Hormones can affect the body and cancer in different ways. Some studies show that androgen can cause prostate cancer to grow and spread. Before talking with you about treatment recommendations, your doctor will take tissue samples and review lab analysis results to determine whether your cancer is sensitive to hormones. Your doctor will also consider the size and stage of your cancer and other factors, and talk with you about treatment options.

Pros and Cons of Hormone Therapy

If your doctors recommend hormone therapy, they’ll discuss the potential benefits and risks or side effects for hormone therapy. You’ll learn more about the latest available medications, including what to expect and how to manage any side effects.