Hormone Therapy

Consultation: Before starting hormone therapy, you will meet with your healthcare team to discuss your diagnosis, treatment, goals, and whether hormone therapy is right for you. Your doctor will explain how the therapy works, what medications you may take, and review any potential side effects so you feel prepared and supported going in.  

Treatment: Hormone therapy is typically given as a pill, injection, or sometimes both, depending on the type of cancer. You will have regular check-ins with your care team to monitor your body’s response and manage any side effects like fatigue or hot flashes. It is important to take your medication as prescribed and speak up about any changes you notice.  

Post-treatment care: Once hormone therapy ends, you will continue to have follow-up appointments to track your recovery and watch for any signs of recurrence. Your care team may suggest lifestyle adjustments or ongoing support to help with lingering side effects and ensure long-term wellness.  

Hormone therapy is used to treat:  

• Breast cancer
• Prostate cancer  
• Thyroid cancer
• Adrenal cancer
• Uterine cancer
• Ovarian cancer (some types) 

The type of hormone therapy used largely depends on the cancer type.  

For breast cancer

There are several methods of delivering hormone therapy for breast cancer:

Tamoxifen
For early-stage breast cancer, tamoxifen is prescribed. It blocks the effects of estrogen on breast cancer cells.  

Aromatase inhibitor  
This type of hormone therapy is used to treat estrogen-receptor-positive breast cancer in postmenopausal women. They work to block the aromatase enzyme, which is responsible for converting other hormones into estrogen. Blocking this enzyme reduces the amount of estrogen in the body.  

For prostate cancer

There are two methods of delivering hormone therapy for prostate cancer:

Surgical orchiectomy  
Involves removing the testicles — the main source of testosterone — to decrease hormone levels and remove testosterone from the body.

Medical androgen deprivation therapy (ADT)  
The second method of hormone therapy is ADT. It stops or slows prostate cancer growth by reducing the exposure of testosterone to the prostate via pills or injections.  

Hormone therapy can be an important part of cancer treatment — either on its own or in combination with other therapies. Here are some potential benefits:  

• Slows or stops cancer growth
• Reduces risk of recurrence
• Can shrink tumors when used with other treatments  

Consultation: Before starting hormone therapy, you will meet with your healthcare team to discuss your diagnosis, treatment, goals, and whether hormone therapy is right for you. Your doctor will explain how the therapy works, what medications you may take, and review any potential side effects so you feel prepared and supported going in.  

Treatment: Hormone therapy is typically given as a pill, injection, or sometimes both, depending on the type of cancer. You will have regular check-ins with your care team to monitor your body’s response and manage any side effects like fatigue or hot flashes. It is important to take your medication as prescribed and speak up about any changes you notice.  

Post-treatment care: Once hormone therapy ends, you will continue to have follow-up appointments to track your recovery and watch for any signs of recurrence. Your care team may suggest lifestyle adjustments or ongoing support to help with lingering side effects and ensure long-term wellness.