Hormonal Therapies in Cancers

Cancer Treat Res. 2023:185:91-104. doi: 10.1007/978-3-031-27156-4_6.

Abstract

The hormonal therapy for cancer has become a household name and the series of experiments performed leading to the discovery of hormones use in the treatments of breast cancer. The hormones like antiestrogen, aromatase restrictors, antiandrogens, and use of extremely strong luteinizing hormone-releasing hormone agonists to perform a "medical hypophysectomy" because of their ability of causing desensitization in the pituitary gland have proven their value in the treatment of cancers over the last two decades. Millions of women still use hormonal therapy for menopause symptoms. Estrogen plus progestin or estrogen separately utilized as a menopause hormonal therapy throughout the world. Women receiving different premenopausal and postmenopausal hormonal therapies are on higher risk of having ovarian cancer. The risk of ovarian cancer did not increase with the increase of duration of hormonal therapy. Postmenopausal hormone use was found to be inversely related to major colorectal adenomas.

Keywords: Antiestrogens; Cancer; Hormone; Therapies.

MeSH terms

  • Breast Neoplasms*
  • Colorectal Neoplasms*
  • Estrogens
  • Female
  • Humans
  • Menopause
  • Ovarian Neoplasms*

Substances

  • Estrogens