Androgen Deprivation
From Kidney Cancer Resource
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Overview
George Whipple Laboratory for Cancer Research, Departments of Pathology, Urology, and Radiation Oncology, and the Cancer Center, University of Rochester Medical Center, Rochester, New York, USA.
Androgens play a major role in promoting the development and progression of prostate cancer. As a result, androgen ablation or blockade of androgen action through the androgen receptor (AR) has been the cornerstone of treatment of advanced prostate cancer. Different strategies involving this hormonal therapy produce a significant clinical response in most of the patients, but most responders eventually lose dependency, resulting in mortality. Thus, whether hormonal therapy contributes to the improvement of overall survival rates, especially in patients with advanced prostate cancer, remains controversial. However, patients with advanced disease clearly have a benefit from androgen deprivation-based treatment for palliating their symptoms and for improving the quality of their lives. In order to improve overall survival, novel treatment strategies that prolong the androgen-dependent state and that are useful for androgen-independent disease based on specific molecular mechanisms need to be identified. 2004 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
Details
Hormone therapy is also called androgen deprivation therapy (ADT) or androgen suppression therapy. The goal is to reduce levels of the male hormones, called androgens, in the body. The main androgens are testosterone and dihydrotestosterone (DHT). Androgens, produced mainly in the testicles, stimulate prostate cancer cells to grow. Lowering androgen levels often makes prostate cancers shrink or grow more slowly. However, hormone therapy does not cure prostate cancer.
To view the full article from ACS Click Here
Articles
Science Daily (PC) 10-Oct-07
- Prostate Cancer Therapy, Androgen Deprivation, Linked To Increased Risk Of Heart Disease Death
Science Daily (PC) 27-Feb-06
- Androgen Deprivation Therapy Does Not Keep Localized Prostate Cancer From Spreading, New Study Says
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