Hormone Therapy

Hormone therapy, also called androgen deprivation therapy (ADT), treats prostate cancer by dramatically reducing levels of testosterone and other male hormones (androgens) that fuel prostate cancer growth. Since most prostate cancer cells depend on testosterone to grow and survive, removing or blocking this hormone can shrink tumors and slow cancer progression. Hormone therapy alone doesn't cure prostate cancer, but it can control it for years and is often used in combination with other treatments like radiation therapy. It may be used before, during, or after other treatments, or as the primary treatment for advanced cancer that has spread beyond the prostate. Modern hormone therapy includes several approaches: medications that stop testosterone production, drugs that block testosterone action, and in rare cases, surgical removal of the testicles.