Prostate Cancer – Hormonal Therapy
Hormonal therapy is typically used when:
- Prostate cancer has overtaken capsule
- Relapse after radiation or surgery
- The patient has a very aggressive cancer
- Prostate cancer at high risk for metastasis
Hormonal therapy is usually in the form of one or more combination of the following methods:
- Orchiectomy, surgical
- Injections of medicines called «LH-RH analogues’ that stop the production of testosterone by the testes
- Pills “antiandrogens” which prevent the entry of androgens in prostate cells.
The side effects of hormone therapy include:
- Hypertrophy breast
- Reduced sexual desire
- Impotence
- Flushes
- Weight gain
- Decrease in muscle mass
- Some drugs can also cause nausea, diarrhea, fatigue and liver damage.