Overview
In this article, the pathologic effects of hormonal therapy on benign prostatic tissue and prostate cancer are presented. Hormonal therapy is the main treatment for men with disseminated prostate cancer.
In addition, hormonal therapy, also known as endocrine- or androgen-deprivation therapy, is commonly used in locally advanced or high-grade, high-risk disease. (See the image below.)
Pathology of Hormonal Therapy on Prostate Cancer. Androgen-deprivation therapy effect on benign prostatic tissue.
Compared with conservative management, primary androgen-deprivation therapy is not associated with improved survival in the majority of men aged 66 years or older with clinically localized prostate cancer.
Neoadjuvant hormonal therapy before radical prostatectomy has not been shown to be effective.
Molecular genetics
Molecular genetic abnormalities are not currently used in the diagnosis of prostatic carcinoma with treatment effect. Deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) ploidy and chromosomal abnormalities are similar in treated versus untreated carcinoma,
although gene expression profiling shows that several hundred genes are differentially expressed in the comparison of untreated versus hormonally treated and androgen-independent carcinomas.
Prognosis
Grading of hormonal treatment effects (regression grading) to predict clinical outcome has been attempted but has yielded variable results. This is not routinely performed, and special studies on prostatic carcinoma with treatment effect are not currently done.
For more information on prostate cancer, see the following:
Laparoscopic Pelvic Lymph Node Dissection in Prostate Cancer
Prostate Cancer – Radical Perineal Prostatectomy
Prostate Cancer – Radical Retropubic Prostatectomy
Prostate Cancer – Brachytherapy (Radioactive Seed Implantation Therapy)
Transrectal Ultrasonography of the Prostate
Cryotherapy in Prostate Cancer
Laparoscopic and Robotic Radical Prostatectomy
Prostate Cancer – External Beam Radiotherapy
Postradiation Therapy Pathology of Prostate Cancer
Precancerous Lesions of the Prostate
Metastatic and Advanced Prostate Cancer
Neoadjuvant Androgen Deprivation Therapy in Prostate Cancer
Prostate-Specific Antigen Testing