Hormone Therapy for Cancer

Overview

As part of your cancer care plan, your doctor may recommend hormone therapy. It's a way of fighting cancer cells by cutting off the hormones they need to grow. Let's take a few minutes to learn more.

What are hormones?

First, what are hormones? Well, they're chemicals produced by glands in your body. They go into your bloodstream and travel to cells throughout your body. Some regulate the growth of your body's cells. And this includes some cancer cells. So if we can make it hard for cancer cells to get the hormones they need, we may be able to slow their growth.

How does it work?

How does hormone therapy work? There are a few ways to use hormones to fight cancer. Your doctor may give you drugs that stop your body from making certain hormones. Or you could take a drug that binds to cancer cells and blocks out the hormones. And, you could get a drug that serves as a hormone replacement. Your body uses it just like the natural hormone, but the cancer cells can't use it.

Conclusion

Hormone therapy may be used with other cancer treatments. For more information, talk to your doctor.

Please be aware that this information is provided to supplement the care provided by your physician. It is neither intended nor implied to be a substitute for professional medical advice. CALL YOUR HEALTHCARE PROVIDER IMMEDIATELY IF YOU THINK YOU MAY HAVE A MEDICAL EMERGENCY. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified health provider prior to starting any new treatment or with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition.