Hormonal Therapy in Prostate Cancer

Androgen deprivation therapy commonly known as hormonal therapy prevents testosterone (male hormone) from imparting its effect on prostate cells either by reducing its production or preventing it from reaching prostate cells [1]. It is a commonly used therapy for prostate cancer as these cancer cells rely on testosterone for growth. Therefore, in the absence of testosterone cancer cells inside the prostate either die or grow slowly [1, 2]. A state of testosterone deprivation can be created by hormonal therapy in the form of oral or injectable medicines or by surgical removal of the testis through a procedure called bilateral orchidectomy [1]. Often, hormonal therapy is clubbed with other treatment modalities such as radiation therapy to make it more effective.