Hormonal Therapy: Personalised Cancer Treatment & Expert Care
Hormonal therapy, also called endocrine therapy, is an important cancer treatment used for cancers that depend on hormones to grow. It works by reducing hormone levels in the body or blocking the ability of cancer cells to use specific hormones. Hormonal therapy is commonly used in certain breast and prostate cancers and may be given alone or alongside other cancer treatments. Dr. Anjali Sachan provides personalised cancer care, helping patients understand whether hormonal therapy may be appropriate for their cancer and how it can be incorporated into their overall treatment plan.
What Is Hormonal Therapy?
Some cancer cells have hormone receptors that allow hormones such as oestrogen, progesterone, or testosterone to stimulate their growth. Hormonal therapy interferes with this process by either lowering hormone levels or preventing hormones from acting on cancer cells.
Unlike chemotherapy, hormonal therapy does not directly destroy cancer cells. Instead, it aims to slow or stop the growth of hormone-sensitive cancer cells.
When Is Hormonal Therapy Used?
Hormonal therapy may be recommended for selected patients with hormone-sensitive cancers, particularly:
It may be used at different stages of cancer treatment, including after surgery to reduce the risk of recurrence, before other treatments in selected cases, or for advanced cancer to control disease progression.
Types of Hormonal Therapy
The type of hormonal therapy depends on the cancer and the hormones involved. Common approaches include:
The choice of treatment depends on the cancer type, hormone receptor status, stage, age, overall health, and previous treatments.
Benefits of Hormonal Therapy
For appropriately selected patients, hormonal therapy can: Slow or stop the growth of hormone-sensitive cancer cells; Reduce the risk of cancer recurrence; Help control advanced or metastatic cancer; Complement surgery, chemotherapy, radiation therapy, or targeted therapy; Provide long-term disease control in some patients. Hormonal therapy is not effective for cancers that do not depend on the relevant hormones.
Possible Side Effects
Side effects vary depending on the type of hormonal therapy and individual factors. Possible effects may include:
Regular follow-up helps doctors monitor treatment effectiveness and manage potential side effects.
Why Choose Dr. Anjali Sachan for Hormonal Therapy Care?
Dr. Anjali Sachan focuses on personalised cancer treatment based on the patient's cancer type, hormone receptor status, stage, overall health, and individual treatment goals. Before recommending hormonal therapy, the cancer may be evaluated for hormone receptor status and other relevant characteristics. This helps determine whether endocrine treatment is likely to provide benefit.
Importance of Personalised Cancer Treatment
Hormonal therapy can play an important role in the long-term management of selected hormone-sensitive cancers. However, the appropriate medicine, duration, and combination with other treatments vary from patient to patient. If you or a loved one has been diagnosed with a hormone-sensitive cancer, consult Dr. Anjali Sachan to understand whether hormonal therapy may be appropriate and explore a personalised cancer treatment plan.
Discuss your diagnosis and treatment options with Dr. Anjali Sachan.