Hormonal Deprivation Therapy All prostate cells are stimulated by the male hormone called testosterone. Some types of prostate cancer cells actually require high doses of this hormone. By eliminating testosterone, hormonal therapy can temporarily slow down the growth of the prostate cancer cells but not stop it. The testicles produce 95% of a man's testosterone. There are three basic methods of hormonal deprivation therapy: • Surgical Castration removes the testicles. The procedure is called orchiectomy. • LHRH therapy administers "luteinizing hormone-releasing hormone," or LHRH analogs. Usually taken orally by the patient, LHRH prevents the testicles from producing male hormone. The therapy saves the testicles and works as well as surgical castration.

• Combined androgen blockage orally administers the female hormone estrogen (or other substance) to stop the testicles from producing the male hormone. Hormonal therapy selection criteria Physicians normally use hormonal deprivation therapy to slow the spread or growth of prostate cancer. Additional indication for hormonal deprivation therapy is shrinkage of the prostate gland prior to the primary therapy. A doctor will also suggest hormonal deprivation therapy when prostate cancer has spread beyond the prostate gland to other parts of the body.

Men whose cancer has returned after radical prostatectomy or radiation therapy are also candidates for hormonal therapy. A doctor may also use the treatment to shrink the prostate gland before brachytherapy or cryotherapy treatment.

Effectiveness of hormonal therapy A drop in hormone level can affect all prostate cancer cells--even those that have spread to other parts of the body. The treatment can control prostate cancer for up to several years. However, some prostate cancers can grow with little or no male hormone. Other prostate cancer cells may develop resistance and learn to grow without the hormone. Should this happen, the doctor may suggest other forms of treatment. If surgical castration is performed, the adrenal glands compensate for the removal of the testicles by producing more male hormone. Even after having his testicles removed, a man will have to take drugs to block the flow of male hormone.

Recovery time after hormonal therapy
Surgical castration is a relatively simple procedure. The patient usually receives a local anesthetic and goes home the day of the surgery.

Risks and side effects of hormonal therapy
Surgical castration is not reversible. In some cases it may require hospitalization. Gradually, hormonal therapy causes the male hormone level to fall and tumor growth to slow. All three types of hormonal therapy can cause side effects generally known as the "Male Hormonal Withdrawal Syndrome." This syndrome may include symptoms like:

• Impotence
• Loss of sexual desire
• Hot flashes
• Weight gain
• Fatigue
• Reduced brain function
• Loss of muscle mass

At first, LHRH may tend to increase tumor growth and make the patient's symptoms worse. This problem is called "tumor flare."

Patients who receive androgen blockage treatment may have nausea, vomiting or tenderness and swelling of their breast tissue.

Find the best treatment for you
Deciding the best treatment for prostate cancer is a challenge. No single treatment or combination of treatments is right for everyone. Click here for more information about other forms of prostate cancer treatment including minimally invasive procedures such as cryosurgery and brachytherapy.

Have more questions? Click here to find a doctor in your area.