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Hormone therapy as a treatment for rare cancer
Overview
Hormone therapy typically falls into two groups. One type of hormone therapy blocks the body’s ability to produce hormones. Another type of hormone therapy interferes with how hormones behave. Hormone therapy is used in hormone-sensitive cancers, which rely on hormones to grow and spread, such as breast or prostate cancers. However, hormone therapy may also be used in other types of cancer, including rare cancers, and is most often used alongside other cancer treatments.
Hormone therapy can be given in different ways.
- Injection (through a needle)
- Orally (pills/liquids)
- Surgery
Considerations
Hormone therapy can cause different side effects in men and women. They may also require special dietary changes. Talk with your doctor to create a plan for managing potential side effects and lifestyle changes.
Example: Salivary duct carcinoma
TCF community member Allen Chankowsky is a patient advocate and author. He has an ultra-rare, aggressive form of salivary duct carcinoma. At first, Allen’s doctors said palliative chemotherapy was his only option. However, Allen decided to conduct his own research and get biomarker testing to see if any other options would work for him. Through biomarker testing, Allen discovered that his tumor had a genetic mutation that is commonly found in prostate cancer. This discovery led him to convince his care team to try hormone therapy. The hormone therapy he receives is designed to control his cancer by starving it of the androgen hormones that it needs to live.
Watch Against All Odds, a documentary by OncoDaily about Allen’s experiences with precision medicine and self-advocacy.
Additional resources
- Hormone Therapy to Treat Cancer (National Cancer Institute)
- Hormone Therapy (American Cancer Society)