Hormone Therapy

If you have hormone-sensitive cancer like breast or prostate cancer, your care team may recommend hormone therapy to block or reduce hormones that fuel cancer growth.

At Corewell Health, specialists use hormone therapy alone or with surgery or radiation to slow cancer, shrink tumors, and reduce recurrence risk after primary treatment. This approach can be a powerful tool in your cancer fight.

Some cancers rely on hormones to grow and spread. Hormone therapy can disrupt this process by blocking or lowering hormones that fuel cancer growth.

It works in three main ways:

Blocking hormone production

Some medications stop the body from making certain hormones, reducing their ability to stimulate cancer cells.

Preventing hormone action

Other drugs block hormone receptors on cancer cells, stopping hormones from attaching and fueling growth.

Surgical removal

In some cases, removing hormone-producing organs, such as ovaries or testicles, can slow cancer growth.

Hormone therapy targets the hormones fueling certain cancers by lowering levels or blocking their effects. While hormone therapy is not a cure, it’s highly effective in managing cancer, particularly when the disease has spread or recurred. By depriving cancer cells of their hormonal fuel, it slows growth, alleviates symptoms, and improves quality of life.

Studies show that, when started early, hormone therapy can prevent further progression.

Treatment cycles

Treatment varies depending on the type and stage of cancer. In some cases, long-term hormone therapy (duration of two years or more) may control the disease better than short-term hormone therapy.

A hormone receptor test helps determine how cancer cells respond to hormones, guiding treatment decisions. A positive result indicates that hormones may be fueling cancer growth, suggesting hormone therapy to block the hormone's effect. A negative result means hormones aren’t influencing the cancer, so alternative treatments will be considered.

Potential side effects

Because hormone therapy alters hormone levels, it can cause side effects. These may include:

• Bone thinning (osteoporosis)
• Feeling overly tired
• Having trouble getting or keeping and erection in men
• Irregular periods in women
• Lower interest in sex
• Mood swings or irritability
• Sudden feelings of warmth (hot flashes)
• Unexplained weight gain
• Waking up sweaty at night