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.