Review
A hormone is an internally secreted compound formed in endocrine
glands, that affects the functions of specifically receptive
organs or tissues.
Pharmaceutical hormones are synthetic substances used in
medicine to act like similar compounds when introduced into
the body.
Hormones can be used to alter the growth of cancer. Some
tissues, such as prostate or breast, depend on hormones to
develop. When a malignancy arises in these tissues, it is
usually hormone responsive. In these cases, manipulation of
hormones may affect cancer by slowing down or even stopping
the growth of cancer cells. Hormonal therapy is often used
to prevent or delay recurrence of cancer after other modalities
of treatment have removed the gross primary tumor and chemotherapy
or radiation therapy have treated systemic and regional micrometastases.
An anti-hormone is an agent that works against a hormone
or a hormone's response in the body. Many anti-hormone agents
have been developed that interfere with the interaction between
the hormone molecule and its receptor site that stimulates
cell growth and proliferation.
Endocrine surgery is a surgical procedure that is performed
to achieve a hormonal or anti-hormonal effect in the body.
Surgical procedures to remove hormone-producing tissues were
among the first attempts at endocrine therapy of cancer. Radiotherapy
aimed at hormone-producing organs has been used successfully
to suppress hormone production in patients who were not considered
surgical candidates. The use of drugs to suppress hormone
production has, to a great extent, replaced surgical approaches
to endocrine therapy of breast cancer. However, orchiectomy
remains a common approach for the hormonal management of prostate
cancer.
Quiz
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