Endocrinology & Metabolic Syndrome
Open Access

Hormonal Therapy

Gude Himabindhu^{* *}Correspondence: Gude Himabindhu, Department of Biotechnology, India, Tel: 8143389651, Email:

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Hormonal Therapy

Hormonal therapy is used in medical treatment. In this treatment hormones can be add, remove, block or may allow slowing down the metabolism. Hormonal therapy is also called as Hormone withdrawal therapy, endocrine therapy, hormone manipulation treatment. This treatment contains mostly female hormones. Hormone therapy is often used to treat menopausal stages.

Hormone therapy is used to treat menopausal symptoms and protect long-term health.

Hormone therapy is also used to treat cancers like prostate and breast cancers. Hormone therapy also used with the other types of cancer treatments such as

Making a tumor lesser in size before the surgery or radiation therapy. This therapy is called as neo-adjuvant therapy.

Lowers the risk of cancer that will come back after the treatment. This is called adjuvant therapy.

Destroying cancer cells recur or spread to the other parts of the body.

Side effects can be seen in hormonal therapy depending on the type of cancer treatment.

Common Side Effects for Hormonal Therapy

• Bloating
• Breast swelling or tenderness
• Headaches
• Night sweats
• Mood swings
• Nausea
• reduced libido
• Vaginal bleeding

Prostate Cancer Therapy Side Effects

• Hot flashes
• Loss of interest in or ability to have sex
• Weakened bones
• Diarrhea
• Nausea
• Enlarged and tender breasts
• Fatigue

Breast Cancer Therapy Side Effects

• Hot flashes
• Vaginal dryness
• Changes in your periods if you have not yet reached menopause
• Loss of interest in sex
• Nausea
• Mood changes
• Fatigue

In some cases, ovaries & fallopian tubes may be removed
surgically to treat hormone-receptor-positive breast cancer or as a preventive measure for women at very high risk of breast cancer.

Hormonal therapy medicines can also use to shrink or slow down the growth of advanced-stage or metastatic hormonereceptor- positive breast cancers. Hormonal therapy medicines are NOT effective against the hormone-receptor-negative breast cancers.

HRT is not a breast cancer treatment, & for women with a breast cancer diagnosis is relatively unsafe with HRT.

Hormone therapy can be given in many ways. Few can be given through oral, injection, surgery.

Drugs that are used to treat in hormonal therapy are

• Tamoxifen
• Aromatase inhibitors
• Goserelin
• Fulvestrant

These drugs will be given to women with breast cancer with moderate or high risk which usually take five years.

Drug side effects can be seen.

• Joint pain
• Muscle pain
• Muscle stiffness
• Headache
• Nausea
• Effects on the bones
• Tiredness
• Fatigue

Estrogen therapy is suggested for women who have had a hysterectomy. In this therapy uterus is removed by surgery for who've had a bilateral oophorectomy. This treatment is used for menopausal symptoms.

Hormonal Therapy Risks

• Heart disease
• Stroke
• Blood clots
• Breast cancer

These risks depends on age, health history, type of treatment

Special diet is needed for hormonal therapy. Individual may gain weight with this treatment.

Researchers are learning more about hormone therapy and other menopausal treatments. Recommendations may change.