Hormone therapy is suitable for treating breast cancer that relies on female hormones (estrogen and/or progesterone) to grow. Its mechanism of action is to reduce the production of these hormones or to prevent them from touching the cancer cells and having an effect. It is recommended that women with hormone-positive (ER-positive and/or PR-positive) breast cancer receive hormone treatment at some point in their treatment journey. Before choosing the right hormone therapy, all factors should be considered, such as whether the patient has reached menopause or not.
Hormone therapy is usually given for 5 to 10 years. If the patient has any side effects during treatment, the attending doctor should be informed immediately so that they can assess whether the patient’s status is ideal. This will allow the patient to have the best treatment. In general, hormone therapy is given orally, though some drugs are given by injection.
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References:
- Hong Kong Cancer Fund. Breast Cancer Booklet. https://www.cancer-fund.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/04/Breast-Cancer-Pdf-2010E.pdf. Accessed July 2024.
- Hong Kong Breast Cancer Foundation. Hormonal Therapy. Available at: https://www.hkbcf.org/en/breast_cancer/main/89, accessed July 2024.
- Hospital Authority Smart Patient website. Breast Cancer. Available at: https://www21.ha.org.hk/smartpatient/SPW/en-US/Disease-Information/Disease/?guid=bc5c075d-d161-4abc-9b1b-1b1ca15d6947, accessed in July 2024.
- American Cancer Society. Hormone Therapy for Breast Cancer. Available at: https://www.cancer.org/cancer/breast-cancer/treatment/hormone-therapyfor-breast-cancer.html, accessed in July 2024.
- Breastcancer.org. Staying on Track with Hormonal Therapy. Available at: https://www.breastcancer.org/treatment/hormonal/on_track, accessed in July 2024.