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Hormone Therapy in Breast and Prostate Cancer pp 369–382Cite as

LH-RH Agonist Role in Prostate Cancer Management

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Part of the book series: Cancer Drug Discovery and Development ((CDD&D))

Abstract

In 1941, androgen sensitivity of adenocarcinoma of the prostate was demonstrated by Huggins and Hodges (1). The result was a considerable enthusiasm that androgen ablation by surgical orchidectomy or administration of estrogens would treat prostate cancer. Testosterone, a steroidal hormone produced by the testicular tissue, represents the vast majority of circulating androgen. It passes through the prostate-cell membrane, where it is converted to dihydrotestosterone (DHT) by the intracellular enzyme 5 alpha-reductase. DHT is believed to be the intracellular messenger responsible for stimulating the nucleus for protein synthesis after it binds to intracellular receptor (Fig. 1). Bilateral surgical orchidectomy leads to a decrease of the plasma testosterone level from 500 ng/100 mL to about 50 ng/100 mLin the majority of cases.

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Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. The Royal Free Hospital NHS Trust and School of Medicine, London, UK

    Amir V. Kaisary

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  1. Amir V. Kaisary
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Editors and Affiliations

  1. Lombardi Comprehensive Cancer Center, Georgetown University, 3970 Reservoir Rd. NW Research Bldg. E501, Washington, DC, 20057, USA

    V. Craig Jordan

  2. AstraZeneca Pharmaceuticals Zeneca Pharmaceutical, Alderly Park, Alderly House, Macclesfield, SK 10 4TF, UK

    Barrington J.A. Furr

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© 2009 Humana Press, a part of Springer Science+Business Media, LLC

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Kaisary, A.V. (2009). LH-RH Agonist Role in Prostate Cancer Management. In: Jordan, V.C., Furr, B.J. (eds) Hormone Therapy in Breast and Prostate Cancer. Cancer Drug Discovery and Development. Humana Press. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-59259-152-7_17

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-59259-152-7_17

  • Publisher Name: Humana Press

  • Print ISBN: 978-1-60761-471-5

  • Online ISBN: 978-1-59259-152-7

  • eBook Packages: Springer Book Archive

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