Hormone Therapy
Never underestimate the power of estrogen - Unknown
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Hormone therapy lets some forgo chemotherapy
A few decades or even just a few years ago, chemotherapy as treatment for breast cancer was a foregone conclusion for patients with even a moderate chance of recurrence.
But the findings of a new trial released in June have challenged that assumption, allowing those with an intermediate risk of breast cancer recurrence to attack their cancerous cells with hormones — no chemotherapy required.
The results from the Trial Assigning Individualized Options for Treatment (Rx), or TAILORx trial, showed no benefit from chemotherapy for a whopping 70 percent of women with the most common type of breast cancer. The findings apply to cancers that are hormone receptor-positive,…
Resources
Oestrogens and breast cancer
Arguably one of the most important discoveries so far in the field of breast cancer is the finding that many of these tumours are sensitive to oestrogens; indeed, the subsequent use of hormone therapy has had a remarkable impact on breast cancer outcomes.
Hormone Blockers Can Prolong Life if Prostate Cancer Recurs
Men whose prostate cancer comes back after surgery are more likely to survive if, along with the usual radiation, they also take drugs to block male hormones.
Hormone therapy can make prostate cancer worse, study finds
Scientists have discovered how prostate cancer can sometimes withstand and outwit a standard hormone therapy, causing the cancer to spread. Their findings also point to a simple blood test that may help doctors predict when this type of hormone therapy resistance will occur.
Hormone Treatment for Prostate Cancer Tied to Heart Risks
The lead author, Reina Haque, a research scientist at Kaiser Permanente in Pasadena, Calif., said that the results could be particularly important for prostate patients who have risk factors for heart disease. The study, she said, provides “a way to begin a conversation about whether A.D.T. is a treatment you should use.”
Improving Adherence to Endocrine Therapy in Women With HR-Positive Breast Cancer
Aromatase inhibitors (AIs) are the standard treatment for postmenopausal women with hormone receptor–positive breast cancers. One of the most common side effects of AIs is joint pain; it is also the most frequently cited reason for nonadherence and discontinuation before completion of the prescribed treatment course.
One in six premenopausal early breast cancer patients do not adhere to hormonal therapy
Hormonal therapy such as tamoxifen is recommended for five to ten years in all patients with hormone receptor-positive breast cancer but previous research has shown that many discontinue long-term therapy.
Optimal Use With Adjuvant Endocrine Therapy Continues to Unfold in ER+ Breast Cancer
Today, the decision to extend adjuvant endocrine therapy with tamoxifen or an aromatase inhibitor is an individualized one, according to Denes. That decision is made harder, with mixed findings of clinical trials across breast cancer populations.
Targeted Drug Plus Hormone Therapy Stops Tumor Growth In Patients With Early Breast Cancer
"We have demonstrated that the current standard of care for many women – hormone treatment – is effective at stopping the growth of tumor cells prior to surgery, however with the addition of this new drug palbociclib patients may benefit even further," said Stephen Johnston...
Hormone therapy lets some forgo chemotherapy
A few decades or even just a few years ago, chemotherapy as treatment for breast cancer was a foregone conclusion for patients with even a moderate chance of recurrence. But the findings of a new trial released in June have challenged that assumption, allowing those with an intermediate risk of breast cancer recurrence to attack their cancerous cells with hormones — no chemotherapy required.
BreastCancer.org
Hormonal therapy medicines are NOT effective against hormone-receptor-negative breast cancers. There are several types of hormonal therapy medicines, including aromatase inhibitors, selective estrogen receptor modulators, and estrogen receptor downregulators. In some cases, the ovaries and fallopian tubes may be surgically removed to treat hormone-receptor-positive breast cancer or as a preventive measure for women at very high risk of breast cancer. The ovaries also may be shut down temporarily using medication.
Cancer Research UK
The type of hormone therapy you have depends on a number of factors, including your type of cancer...
Hypertext Guide To Prostate Cancer
Hormone therapy is used in three situations: - To slow down the spread of cancer cells that have escaped (secondary or adjuvant therapy). - To ease pain caused by the spread of the cancer (palliative therapy). - To shrink the prostate and the tumor before a procedure, in order to reduce the likelihood of escape (neoadjuvant therapy).
Macmillan Cancer Support
Hormonal therapies work by altering the production or activity of particular hormones in the body. They are most commonly used to treat breast cancer and prostate cancer. The type of hormone therapy given depends on the type of cancer being treated.
National Breast Cancer Foundation
Generally, the benefits of using hormone therapy and chemotherapy together have a much greater combined effect than using either alone. If your breast cancer is positive for hormone receptors, your doctor may recommend both therapies.
National Cancer Institute
Hormone therapy is used to treat prostate and breast cancers that use hormones to grow. Hormone therapy is most often used along with other cancer treatments. The types of treatment that you need depend on the type of cancer, if it has spread and how far, if it uses hormones to grow, and if you have other health problems.
Sarah Cannon
Tissue testing can determine if a cancer is sensitive to hormones. Cancers that are not hormone receptors positive do not appear to benefit from hormone therapy, either to prevent recurrence, or to prevent second cancers.
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