Cancer Treatment: Does Hormone Therapy Really Work?

Basically, hormones are a type of protein that our body makes to control how particular cells work. For instance, a few body parts depend upon sex hormones, including testosterone, estrogen and progesterone, to function smoothly. There are various types of hormones, including cortisol, adrenaline, thyroid and insulin, which are made by the organs.

In a few cases, cancer growth is based on hormones. Due to these reasons, experts continue further treatment with the help of hormone therapy to slow or stop cancerous growth. Hormone therapy is mainly used to treat breast and prostate cancer, which rely upon sex hormones to grow. Continue reading this article to learn how OKC experts use hormone therapy to treat cancer and types of hormonal therapy.

How Does Hormone Therapy Work?

Experts consider hormone therapy a systemic treatment because the targeted hormones circulate in the body. After injecting the drug, this therapy travels throughout the body and finds the particular hormones. The way this treatment works makes it different from other types of treatment options like radiation therapy and surgery.

This treatment prevents the hormones from attaching to cancer cells, and stops your body from producing the hormone, and alters them so they do not work as they should. Experts also use hormone therapy to treat a particular type of cancer by slowing its growth and reducing symptoms.

What Are The Types Of Hormone Therapy?

Specialists separate hormone therapy into two broad parts - one type of hormone therapy prevents our body from producing hormones, and the other kind of hormone therapy controls how hormones work in our body.

Are There Any Side Effects Of Hormone Therapy?

Treating cancer always has some side effects on our bodies. But when it comes to hormone therapy, it has few side effects, which don’t have any adverse effects on our bodies. The following side effects are diarrhea, nausea, hot flashes, loss of interest in sex, tender breasts, vaginal dryness, changes in your periods, mood swings, and fatigue.

How Do Experts Provide Hormone Therapy?

Generally, hormone therapy is given in multiple ways.

● Oral - hormone therapy comes in the form of tablets or pills that you need to swallow.

● Surgery - You may undergo surgery that removes organs to prevent hormone production. When it comes to women, doctors remove ovaries; in men, they remove testicles.

● Injection- Experts inject a hormone into your thigh, arms, hip, leg or belly.

How Can You Understand That Hormone Therapy Is Working?

Suppose you are taking hormone therapy to treat prostate cancer. In that case, you have to take a PSA test regularly. The treatment is working if the level remains the same or goes down. But you must talk with your doctor about another treatment option when the level goes up.

Try It Once

We know that fighting cancer takes a lot of things from you but losing hope is not an option here. You must try every treatment to prevent cancer, no matter what it takes. Your life is more than just cancer.

And there is no chance that cancer can win the match. In this fight, we, The Broadway Clinic are with you. Contact us to learn more about hormone therapy in OKC and other options to beat cancer.

**Disclaimer: This content does not aim to provide any medical advice nor does it constitute or prescribe any doctor-patient relationship.