We all have a special man in our lives\; whether it is a father, son, grandfather or just a male friend. Every one of these men run the risk of developing prostate cancer later on in life. Though no cancer is good, there are many different types of treatments for prostate cancer that have proven to be very effective. One treatment that has proven to help is hormone therapy. Though it sounds fancy and out of the ordinary, this type of treatment has proven to be very helpful.

Hormone therapy is usually known as ADT, which stands for androgen deprivation therapy. It is also known as androgen suppression therapy. Though you probably aren\’t familiar with these terms, understanding how this type of treatment works is something that isn\’t hard to understand.

Simply, the goal of this type of hormone therapy is to reduce the levels of male hormones, which are known as androgens. These hormones include dihydrotestosterone (DHT) and testosterone. These androgens are known to stimulate cancer cells, especially in the prostate. Because of this, being able to lower these androgen levels helps to shrink the growth of cancerous cells as well as slow them down.

Though this therapy is very helpful in slowing down and shrinking cancerous cells, it is not a cure for prostate cancer. This hormone therapy is generally used in certain cases for males. Here are a few situations when doctors prescribe hormone therapy:

1. Hormone therapy can be used before surgery or radiation to treat the cancer. The therapy will help shrink the cancer, which will allow the other treatments to be much more effective.

2. It can also be paired with radiation therapy as an initial treatment. This is used on those men who are at risk for the cancer to reoccur.

3. If the cancer comes back or remains after treatment, whether surgery or radiation, hormone therapy can help.

4. This can be used when the man isn\’t able to undergo surgery or radiation\; or, the cancer is not able to be cured because the cancer in the prostate has spread.

There are many different types of hormone therapies that are used to treat prostate cancer. Some are more effective than others, but it generally depends on the patient\’s health or ability to fight the cancer.

One type of hormone therapy is orchiectomy. This is when the testicles are removed. This is known as hormone therapy because most of androgens are made in the testicles. This helps to get rid of the source of the cancer.

Another type of hormone therapy is called Luteinizing hormone-releasing hormone or LHRH analogs. This type of therapy is generally much more expensive than others that are available. Though the cost is much higher, most men choose to have this type of therapy instead of an orchiectomy. This therapy involves taking medications that will help lower testosterone levels. LHRH analogs usually require more visits to the doctor.

In any case, if a male in your life is suffering from prostate cancer, hormone therapy is something that should be considered. First, make sure that you consult your doctor to find out which type of therapy is best for him.