Contents:
- Medical Video: Ovarian Suppression in Metastatic HR+ Breast Cancer
- How does ovarian suppression therapy work?
- What are the side effects of using suppression therapy?
Medical Video: Ovarian Suppression in Metastatic HR+ Breast Cancer
Esterogens are produced by the ovary in the pre-menopausal period. Therefore estrogen levels in women can be reduced by eliminating or suppressing ovarian function. Blocking ovarian function is also called ovarian suppression which is used to prevent the ovary from producing estrogen, either temporarily or permanently. Hormonal therapy can be used to reduce the amount of natural hormone estrogen in cells and slow the growth of the remaining cancer cells.
Ovarian function can be suppressed with a drug called gonadotropin releasing hormone or known as luteinizing realizing agonist hormone. This drug can interfere with signals from the pituitary gland that can stimulate the ovaries to produce estrogen, for example goserelin or leuprolide ovarian suppression drugs.
How does ovarian suppression therapy work?
Certain drugs affect estrogen by interfering with signals from the brain and controlling how the ovaries work. One of them is goserelin, the most commonly used drug. Goserelin is a small implant that is injected into the patient's stomach every 28 days. Patients are also likely to get pregnant even if they are using goserelin. Therefore consultation is needed to find out how far the use of goserelin can endanger the development of the baby.
What are the side effects of using suppression therapy?
The ovary is able to produce estrogen during natural menopause and menopausal symptoms will appear when the ovary is removed like a feeling of heat throughout the body, sweating at night, and so on.
Menopause that occurs suddenly allows the patient to experience these symptoms. The concern of women who experience early menopause is the treatment of breast cancer that is at risk of heart disease and osteoporosis later in life. Doctors will usually recommend primary therapy for bone during this suppression therapy.
Always consult with a doctor before deciding to undergo this suppression treatment. Also notify if you are pregnant, planning to become pregnant, or if you are breastfeeding. Consult your doctor about medications or herbal medicines that you want to consume and if you have allergies to drugs.
