Everything You Need To Know About Prostate Cancer Medications

Everything You Need To Know About Prostate Cancer Medications
By Tim Gorman

Prostate cancer medications working in conjunction with hormonal therapy serve as an aggressive treatment against the progression of prostate cancer. Wonder why? Well, man produce a hormone commonly known as testosterone, often equated with making a guy macho, testosterone can stimulate the growth of cancerous cells in the prostate, in turn accelerating the development of prostate cancer. That's where hormonal therapy comes in. Otherwise known as androgenic deprivation, hormonal therapy cuts off the prostate's supply of testosterone. Treatment with hormones is generally a route taken by patients whose cancer has become metastases, or left the prostate and spread into other parts of the body.

The testicles are encouraged to produce the potentially cancer-inducting testosterone by an internal chemical agent called LHRH, or luteinizing hormone-releasing hormone. Luteinizing hormone-releasing analogs and luteinizing hormone-releasing antagonists are prostate cancer medications designed to inhibit the release of LHRH from the brain, thus resulting in lower levels of testosterone to off influencing cancerous prostatic cells.

Luteinizing Hormone-Releasing Analogs

Luteinizing hormone-releasing analogs are designed to lower testosterone levels. These prostate cancer medications are administred via injections that can be given monthly or every three, six, or nine months. Most metastases prostate cancer patients opt for this round of prostate cancer treatments than a surgical removal of their testicles although the side effects can be the same.

Luteinizing Hormone-Releasing Antagonists

There's a new antagonist in town. Plenaxis features the new age of LHRH antagonists and has been cited to lower testosterone at the speed of light (well, almost) and does not cause a sharp rise in testosterone levels before taking affect, as is the case with LHRH analogs. However, LHRH antagonists can only be used in men who are not able to use other forms of hormonal treatment. Abarelix is another LHRH antagonist, but it is only given in a select group of physican's offices. Other common LHRH antagonists are Lupron, Zoladex, Eulexin, and Casodex.

Antiandrogens

In addition to LHRH analogs and antagonists, antiandrogens are other faucet of prostate cancer medications. Androgens, like testosterone, can still be produced in minute amounts following the surgical removal of the testicles or a round of treatment with LHRH analogs. In an effort to block any stray androgens, antiandrogens prostate cancer medications provide a complete blockage of the hormones. Antiandrogens have saw a connection to producing fewer issues of sexual dysfunction than other types of hormonal prostate cancer medications. On the down side, antiandrogens have developed a reputation for side effects like diarrhea, liver problems, and fatigue.

Clinical Trials

Clinical trials can provide a powerful impact against the progression prostate cancer. Plus trials are a part of a journey that all prostate cancer medications must take. Clinical trials for prostate cancer medications go through three phases:

Phase I: The first phase of the clinical trials test the new drug's safety

Phase II: Phase II aims to see if and how this new drug works. Patients are given high dosages of the test drug just within the level of safety. The patients are then watched to see what effect the test drug has on their prostate cancer.

Phase III: The final phase of clinical trial testing rivals test medications with standard treatments. A control group is given dosages of the test drug while a second group continues with standard methods of medicine. The results of both treatments are then closely monitored.

For more information on prostate cancer medications try visiting www.onlineprostatehealthguide.com, a website that specializes in providing prostate cancer related information and resources to include answers to frequently asked questions about prostate cancer.

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