Andrology-Open Access
Open Access

Androgen Ablation Therapy

Androgen deprivation therapy (ADT), also referred to as androgen suppression remedy, is an antihormone therapy whose essential use is in treating prostate most cancers. Prostate cancer cells generally require androgen hormones, consisting of testosterone, to grow. ADT reduces the degrees of androgen hormones, with tablets or surgical treatment, to prevent the prostate most cancers cells from developing. The pharmaceutical methods consist of antiandrogens and chemical castration. Androgens stimulate prostate cancer cells to grow. The main androgens in the body are testosterone and dihydrotestosterone (DHT). Most androgen is made by the testicles, but the adrenal glands (glands that sit above your kidneys) as well as the prostate cancer itself, can also make a fair amount. Lowering androgen levels or stopping them from getting into prostate cancer cells often makes prostate cancers shrink or grow more slowly for a time. But hormone therapy alone does not cure prostate cancer. Androgen deprivation therapy, also called ADT, uses surgery or medicines to lower the levels of androgens made in the testicles.

Prostate cancer needs testosterone to grow. Reducing how much testosterone your body makes may slow the cancer’s growth or shrink the cancer temporarily. Testosterone is an androgen (male sex hormone), so this treatment is called androgen deprivation therapy (ADT). It is also known as hormone therapy. The standard treatment for men with metastatic prostate cancer is androgen deprivation therapy (ADT). This therapy is associated with a multitude of side effects that can impact quality of life. These include vasomotor complications (in particular, hot flushes), sexual dysfunction and gynecomastia, osteoporosis, metabolic syndrome, and depression. Additionally, ADT has been associated with neurocognitive deficits, thromboembolic disease, and cardiovascular disease, although the data regarding the latter associations are mixed. This article summarizes the key side effects associated with ADT and discusses strategies to optimize management.