I want straight talk 
about advanced 
prostate cancer

Making sense of your diagnosis

When you were diagnosed with advanced prostate cancer, you probably heard the doctor say things like recurrent, locally advanced, or metastatic. Here's what it all means:

Recurrent

 

Prostate cancer has returned, following initial treatment with radiation therapy or surgery. This is found by rising PSA* level, biopsy, or scan.

*PSA (or prostate-specific antigen) is a protein made by normal and cancerous prostate cells, and it's used to signal prostate health.

Locally Advanced

 

Prostate cancer has spread to the tissues near the prostate.

Metastatic

 

Prostate cancer has spread away from the prostate into other parts of the body (bones, liver, lungs, etc).

*PSA (or prostate-specific antigen) is a protein made by normal and cancerous prostate cells, and it's used to signal prostate health.

Is this true or false?
Lowering testosterone is one of the main ways to treat advanced prostate cancer.
True
False
 

About androgen deprivation therapy

Androgen deprivation therapy is a type of hormone therapy that lowers testosterone

Testosterone is the male hormone that most prostate cancers need to grow. That's why advanced prostate cancer is often treated with hormone therapy, which helps lower the amount of testosterone the body makes. Your doctor may talk about a type of hormone therapy called ADT, or androgen deprivation therapy. Understand that ADTs have benefits and risks, so ask your doctor how they may affect you.

There are 2 types of ADT medications—LHRH agonists and GnRH antagonists. LHRH agonists include injection treatments like Lupron Depot® (leuprolide acetate for depot suspension) and Eligard® (leuprolide acetate for injectable suspension). GnRH antagonists include the injection treatment Firmagon® (degarelix for injection) and the pill ORGOVYX.

Lupron Depot is a registered trademark of AbbVie Inc. Eligard is a registered trademark of the Tolmar group. Firmagon is a registered trademark of Ferring B.V.

The 2 types of ADT medications work in different ways to lower testosterone
LHRH agonists work by first activating some hormone receptors

When therapy is started, LHRH* agonists turn on (or activate) certain hormone receptors. This increases testosterone levels before lowering them. This temporary rise in testosterone levels can last for a few weeks. It is called a "testosterone flare." The testosterone flare may worsen certain symptoms in some patients. If this happens, patients may need other treatments to help with the symptoms.

*LHRH stands for luteinizing hormone-releasing hormone.

Speech bubble with the words "LHRH agonist"

When therapy is started, LHRH* agonists turn on (or activate) certain hormone receptors. This increases testosterone levels before lowering them. This temporary rise in testosterone levels can last for a few weeks. It is called a "testosterone flare." The testosterone flare may worsen certain symptoms in some patients. If this happens, patients may need other treatments to help with the symptoms.

*LHRH stands for luteinizing hormone-releasing hormone.

GnRH antagonists work by directly blocking some hormone receptors

By directly blocking (or inhibiting) certain hormone receptors, GnRH† antagonists lower testosterone levels without increasing them first. This results in lowering testosterone levels without causing a testosterone flare.

†GnRH stands for gonadotropin-releasing hormone.

Speech bubble with the words "GnRH antagonist"

By directly blocking (or inhibiting) certain hormone receptors, GnRH† antagonists lower testosterone levels without increasing them first. This results in lowering testosterone levels without causing a testosterone flare.

†GnRH stands for gonadotropin-releasing hormone.

How GnRH antagonists and LHRH agonists affect testosterone Chart showing how GnRH antagonists and LHRH agonists affect testosterone
LHRH agonists cause testosterone levels to first go up before they get lower. GnRH antagonists lower testosterone levels without causing a testosterone flare.
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