Breast cancer occurs when cells in the breast tissue begin growing uncontrollably. Because breast cells can grow in response to certain hormones, one method of treating breast cancer is to block the effects of these hormones. Hormone therapy is centered on blocking the effects of estrogen and progesterone through surgery or medication.
What Is Breast Cancer?
Breast cancer is the result of certain cells within the breast tissue mutating and growing uncontrollably.
How Do Hormones Affect Cancer?
Some hormones can attach to cancer cells and affect their ability to divide. The idea behind hormone therapy is to either add or prevent hormones from acting on cancer cells.
What Types of Hormones Affect Breast Cancer?
Breast cancer cells grow in response to two hormones, progesterone and estrogen. The goal of hormone therapy for breast cancer is to block the effects of these hormones.
Types of Hormone Therapy
One type of hormone therapy works by using drugs that prevent estrogen and progesterone from binding to cancer cells. Another type of hormone therapy involves uses medications or surgery to help stop the ovaries from producing these hormones altogether.
Medications for Hormone Therapy
Tamoxifen, Zoladex, Aromasin, Fareston, Arimidex, and Femara all all names of medications that can be used as hormone therapy for breast cancer.
Tags: cancer cells, hormone therapy, these hormones, block effects, block effects these
