Prostate Cancer Hormone Therapy

There's a lot of conflicting information out there.

Most likely this information will fly in the face of everything you've heard about hormone treatment for prostate cancer thus far.

I suggest you read with an open mind and ask questions later if things don't click.

Regarding Testosterone and Prostate Cancer Hormone Treatment

Falacy #1

Having lower testosterone levels will help prevent you from developing prostate cancer. Therefore testosterone replacement should never be prescribed due to it's effect on decreasing survival rates.

Truth

As you age your testosterone decreases, which is the same time you are most prone to getting prostate cancer! Is it any wonder why men get over the age of 50, have the highest rates of prostate cancer? The time in life they have the lowest testosterone levels?

If high testosterone caused prostate cancer you would be seeing teenaged boys dropping like flies. Clearly we don't see this happening.

Falacy #2

Once you've been diagnosed with prostate cancer then you should reduce your testosterone levels to stop it from growing. Once prostate cancer has started, testosterone will actually aid in it's growth.

Truth

Reducing testosterone only buys you about 2 years of remission and "false security" before androgen independent prostate cancer (AIPC) cells take over and grow more aggressively.

Most Commonly Misunderstood Facts About Prostate Cancer Hormone Therapy

- Testosterone reduces prostate cancer growth.

- Estrogen increases it.

- Estrogen is a metabolite of testosterone.

- Therefore reducing testosterone will also reduce estrogen.

This temporary reduction in estrogen by taking anti- testosterone drugs is what helps the initial remission. Without the protection of testosterone however, things quickly get out of hand, and the prostate cancer is once again running in full force.

Your best bet is to increase testosterone though testosterone replacement and decrease estrogen through the use of anti-estrogen drugs (Arimidex, Aromasin, Letrozole). That is the most effective hormone therapy for prostate cancer.

Keeping a high testosterone to estrogen ratio will give you the best of both worlds, through the protection of testosterone, and the reduction of the harmful cancer causing effects of estrogen.