Cancer of the prostate is one of the most common disorders affecting men, and it has some important connections with hormones. If you are interested in learning how testosterone and other hormones affect the development of prostate cancer and how this information is used by physicians to treat the disease, then you are at the right spot.
In this article I will use easy to understand language to explain hormones, their functions, main treatment options prescribed, as well as health maintenance measures presenting all this information in an interesting narrative style.
What Hormones Are and Why They Matter
Like a mailman delivering messages, hormones are the body’s tiny messengers that travel via blood. These chemicals signal to various parts of the body to do different tasks such as regulating growth, energy levels, or one’s mood.
In the case of prostate cancer, the main concern is testosterone which is primarily produced in males as an androgen (male hormone). Released chiefly from testicles, testosterone aids in the proper functioning and growth of the prostate gland.
How Hormones Trigger Prostate Cancer
Cancerous prostate cells usually need testosterone to thrive. You can think of testosterone as a kind of “fertilizer” for these cells. Let’s break it down;
Testosterone’s Role: Each hormone has its role in the human body, and in the case of prostate cells, testosterone’s role is to instruct them to grow and multiply. This is healthy with normal cells but damages cancerous ones by causing an accelerated growth that triggers tumors.
Dihydrotestosterone (DHT): A stronger version of testosterone called DHT is produced from testosterone in the prostate. Supercharging cancer cell growth becomes a center of attention for many medical professionals.
Hormone Sensitive Cancer: Most advanced prostate tumors are termed “Hormone Sensitive”. This suggests they require hormones i.e testosterone or DHT for their sustained growth. That makes hormonal therapy possible which explains why most treatments revolve around hormones.
However, some other forms do shift into a “hormone-resistant” state after a certain period because they do not require stilbene to grow. These cases are more complex but we have ways that will be discussed later.
Combatting Prostate Cancer with Hormone Treatments
As with many cancers, testosterone can fuel the growth of prostate cancer. For that reason, physicians often use hormone therapy (commonly referred to as androgen deprivation therapy, or ADT) to slow or stop the progression of the disease. ADT tries to lower testosterone levels or block its effects so that cancer’s “fuel supply” is cut off. Here’s a few ways they do it along with some common medicines:
1.Reducing Levels of Testosterone
A physician may either prescribe medications or perform surgery to reduce testosterone levels, though surgery is rare. Commonly prescribed medications are:
Leuprolide (Lupron, Eligard): Given via an injection, this medication signals the testicles to cease testosterone production and thus, shuts off the hormone factory.
Goserelin (Zoladex): Another injection that works similarly to leuprolide by reducing testosterone levels and starving cancer cells.
Degarelix (Firmagon): A fast acting injectable that lowers testosterone quickly, often used in advanced cases.”
2.Turning Off Testosterone’s Effects
Some treatments prevent testosterone from reaching cancer cells for as long as it is in the body. These include:
Bicalutamide (Casodex): This medication prevents testosterone from binding to cancer cells and effectively guards them.
Enzalutamide (Xtandi): A stronger pill that blocks testosterone’s effects and is given with advanced stages of the disease. Enzalutamide price can be high, often costing thousands per year, but insurance and pharmacy discounts can make it more affordable.
Apalutamide (Erleada): Similar to enzalutamide but targets hormone-sensitive cancers with a high risk of progression.
3.Stopping All androgen production
Some medicines completely inhibit the body’s ability to produce androgens (testosterone plus others). One such related drug is:
Abiraterone (Zytiga): It is prescribed in pill form along with prednisone, it treats adrenal gland as well as testicle based androgen synthesis at androgens production after pluripotent stem cells themselves. Abiraterone price can be significant, but Indian generic versions and coupons can lower the costs.
4.Combining Treatments
Alongside radiation or chemotherapy, hormone therapy is frequently used to increase their effectiveness. For some early-stage prostate cancers, leuprolide has been shown to reduce the size of tumors prior to radiation treatment. For more advanced cases, the cancer can be managed with enzalutamide or abiraterone which control and slow down the progression of the disease.
What Happens If Hormone Treatment Stops Being Effective?
For many men, hormone therapy works effectively; however, some prostate cancers usually progress to being what is known as “hormone resistant” or castration resistant. This means the cancer discovers ways to grow even in low testosterone environments. At these stages, doctors may attempt:
- Stronger hormone therapies like enzalutamide (Xtandi) or abiraterone (Zytiga).
- Docetaxel (Taxotere), a chemotherapy drug, can also work by directly attacking cancer cells.
- Immunotherapy or other experimental treatments through clinical trials.
Risk Factors: Hormones and Another Cause
With regard to prostate cancer, several factors increase one’s risk and hormones are just one part of the story. Here is an overview:
Age: Risk increases after 50, possibly due to rising testosterone and DHT levels.
Family History: Inherited risk is possible when a father or brother has prostate cancer as it raises the chances of getting it owing to inherited hormonal genes.
Hormone Levels: High levels of testosterone and DHT suspected to burn aggressively advanced prostate cancer, but this requires more study.
Race: There is increased risk among black men which may be hereditary or hormonal in origin, but needs further investigation.
Lifestyle: Unhealthy diet, obesity coupled with physically inactive lifestyle can lead to disruption of hormones resulting in additional risk.
Lowering Risk of Prostate Cancer: Living Healthily
Whoever said you can fully eliminate prostate cancer is wrong. Although it cannot be eliminated entirely, there are proactive measures that one can take in order to prevent its onset.
Healthy Eating: It is beneficial for health to consume fruits and vegetables. Also, make sure to cut back red meat and dairy as they have the potential to alter hormone levels.
Stay Active: Regular exercise such as walking or swimming helps maintain a healthy weight and also contributes towards balancing hormones.
Get Screened: Prostate specific antigen (PSA) blood tests along with regular check-up enable early detection of prostate cancer especially after age 50 or when predisposing factors are present.
Talk To Physician: Where there’s a family history, discussion should ensue around concerns regarding hormonal balance and the modifying steps that can be taken which reduces risk allowing for greater chances of wellness after speaking with a physician.
The Future: Hormones and New Hope
Prostate carcinoma is a serious issue, and there is constant focus on enhancing its treatment methods by re-evaluating the use of hormones to increase effectiveness.
There are some notable breakthroughs which include:
Surgical Treatment Plus: Advanced therapies not only enhance survival rates but also significantly boost the quality of life post-treatment.
Pillars of Precision Medicine: Genomic and genetic testing are proving revolutionary in stratifying and very accurately classifying patients into sub-populations for better tailored therapeutics like enzalutamide or abiraterone.
Blend therapy Innovations: Use of immunotherapy is being explored to be combined with hormone therapies or other newer approaches for achieving more efficient results.
