hormone therapy
Synonyms: hormone treatment (HT), endocrine therapy, androgen ablation therapy (AAT), androgen deprivation therapy (ADT), combined/complete hormone blockade (CHB), combined/complete hormone therapy (CHT), maximal androgen blockade/deprivation (MAB/MAD), total hormone blockade/therapy (THB, THT)
Definition: The use of hormones or analogs as treatment, because prostate cancer is usually dependent on male hormones to grow. Analogs (e.g., Lupron, Zoladex) are used to block the production of testosterone by the testicles (testes), plus antiandrogens (e.g., Casodex, Eulexin, Anandron, Nilandron, Androcur) are used to block the conversion of testosterone, thereby depriving cancer cells of dihydrotestosterone (DHT) which is needed for growth. When hormone therapy is started and stopped and started again, it may be called intermittent hormone therapy or treatment (IHT) or intermittent androgen suppression (IAS).
See luteinizing hormone-releasing hormone, androgen.
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