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Our experts in hormone therapies are here to support you
Hormone therapies are a type of systemic anti-cancer therapy (SACT). They work by blocking or lowering the number of hormones in the body to stop or slow down cancer growth. Hormone therapy is also sometimes called hormonal therapy or endocrine therapy.
This type of treatment is different from menopause hormone therapy (hormone replacement therapy/HRT) which refers to the supplementing of hormones to help relieve the symptoms of menopause. Other forms of SACT we offer include chemotherapy, immunotherapy, and targeted therapies. Thanks to global cancer research and clinical trials, these treatments are now more advanced and effective.
At GenesisCare, we use hormone therapies to treat and manage breast cancer, prostate cancer, uterine/endometrial cancer and ovarian cancer, as well as some other cancers.
Hormone therapy is often given in combination with other treatments such as surgery, chemotherapy or radiotherapy.
If you choose GenesisCare for your cancer treatment, your specialist will work with you to develop a personalised care plan based on your specific diagnosis and preferences.
Throughout your hormone therapy, you’ll also receive support from a health care team of highly trained nurses and oncology pharmacists who are experts in systemic anti-cancer therapies and managing side effects.
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Contact us today to find out more about our hormone therapy service and how we can help you
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How do hormone therapies work?
Hormones are proteins or substances in the body that help to control how certain types of cells work.
Some cancers use hormones to grow or develop, which means they are hormone-sensitive or hormone-dependent.
Hormone therapy for cancer uses medicines to travel through the body to:
- Stop the body from making a specific hormone
- Block a hormone from attaching to cancer cells
- Altering a hormone so it doesn’t work as it should
As a result, hormone therapy might be used to treat cancer by stopping or slowing its growth or reducing symptoms related to a specific type of cancer.
How will I have hormone therapy?
Hormone therapy is often given in combination with other treatments such as surgery, chemotherapy or radiotherapy.
How often you have hormone therapy, how it’s given, and the length of your course of treatment will depend on your type of cancer and the drugs you’re having.
The main ways to have hormone therapy are:
- By mouth as tablets, capsules or liquid (oral hormone therapy)
- By injection into a muscle (intramuscular) or under the skin (subcutaneous)
Some types of surgery to remove the body’s main source of a hormone can also be classed as hormone therapy. An example of this would be removing the ovaries (ovarian ablation), which will lower your oestrogen levels and reduce the risk of oestrogen-related cancers, such as the risk of breast cancer, returning.
Side effects of hormone therapy
The side effects you may experience will depend on the type of hormone therapy you’re receiving. We’ll work closely with you to limit the impact of them as much as possible.
Some common side effects you may experience if you have hormone therapy for breast or womb cancer are:
- Hot flashes and night sweats
- Mood swings/mood changes
- Vaginal dryness, discharge or irritation
- Loss of libido
- Changes in your period if you’ve not reached menopause
- Fatigue
- Nausea
- Pain in muscles and joints
- Decreased bone density (osteoporosis), leading to a higher risk for fractures
- Blood clots, which are uncommon, however, if you have concerns you should seek medical advice immediately
Some common side effects you may experience if you have hormone therapy for prostate cancer are:
- Hot flushes
- Loss of libido
- Erectile dysfunction (trouble getting or maintaining an erection)
- Decreased bone density, leading to a higher risk for fractures
- Fatigue
- Weight gain (especially around the belly)
- Memory problems
It’s important to let your oncologist know if you have pre-existing conditions such as high blood pressure (hypertension) or high cholesterol (hypercholesterolemia) as this may affect your treatment options.
People experience these side effects differently, and we have a range of interventions and therapies to help you through this time. Our nurses and pharmacists have many years of experience, so they understand what you’re going through and are here to give you expert advice and care. Thankfully, many side effects are short term and soon pass when treatment stops.
If you decide to have hormone therapy treatment at GenesisCare, your oncologist or one of our expert nurses will explain the side effects your hormone therapy is likely to cause and be there with you every step of the way, with advice on how to manage these.
We also offer complementary therapies to help you throughout your treatment.
We’ve partnered with the Penny Brohn UK charity to offer personalised wellbeing therapies at many of our centres to help support you through your treatment. These therapies, such as acupuncture, massage and counselling, are proven to help ease cancer-related concerns and reduce stress. They also offer support groups that are proven to help people with cancer and aim to improve your quality of life during your treatment and beyond.
We also offer exercise medicine, which effectively improves treatment tolerance, builds muscle mass, and reduces cancer-related fatigue, among many other health-related benefits.