LHRH agonists
These drugs stop the brain from telling your body to make testosterone and are given by injection or as a small implant inserted under the skin. There are several different LHRH agonist drugs made by different drug companies. Some of the common ones are:

Goserelin (brand names: Zoladex, NovGos)
Leuprorelin acetate (brand name: Prostap)
Buserelin acetate (brand name: Suprefact)
Triptorelin (brand names: Decapepty, Gonapeptyl Depot)

Anti-androgens
These are tablets that stop testosterone from reaching the cancer cells. There are several different anti-androgens, made by different drug companies, including:

Bicalutamide (one brand name is Casodex)
Cyproterone acetate (one brand name is Cyprostat)
Flutamide

GnRH antagonists
This type of drug is given by injection and is only available in some hospitals. At the moment, there is only one kind of GnRH antagonist called degarelix (brand name Firmagon).

Surgery to remove the testicles (orchidectomy)
This type of hormone therapy involves an operation, called an orchidectomy, to remove the testicles, or just the parts of the testicles that make testosterone.

Oestrogens
Diethylstilbestrol is a manufactured drug similar to the hormone oestrogen. You may be able to have this type of drug if you have advanced prostate cancer.

To begin with you will usually be offered either an LHRH agonist or surgery to remove the testicles (orchidectomy). Depending on the stage of your cancer, the other treatments you are having and your own personal circumstances you may also be offered anti-androgens, GnRHs antagonists or oestrogens. You may also take these drugs in combination.

Depending on which type of hormone therapy you have, you may visit the hospital or your GP surgery for treatment. You will have regular prostate specific antigen (PSA) blood tests to help check how well your treatment is working. You may like to ask your specialist how often you will have your PSA level checked.

Your specialist team may suggest different ways of using hormone therapy, such as 'intermittent hormone therapy' and 'maximal androgen blockade.'

There are specific advantages and disadvantages to the different types of hormone therapy.

Read our hormone therapy fact sheet for more information on advantages and disadvantages.

Like all drugs and treatments, hormone therapy has a risk of side effects and it is important to discuss these with your specialist team before you start any treatment. The side effects of hormone therapy, caused by lowered testosterone levels, can be upsetting for some men. If you know what side effects to expect it can make it easier to cope with them. Hormone therapy affects different men in different ways. The risk of getting each side effect depends on which treatment you are having and how long you have it for.

If you are worried about side effects speak to your specialist team or call our confidential Helpline to speak to a specialist nurse.

The most common side effects of hormone therapy are:

• Loss of sex drive (libido) and erectile dysfunction
• Hot flushes
• Bone thinning
• Breast swelling and tenderness
• Tiredness (fatigue)
• Weight gain
• Strength and muscle loss
• Forgetfulness and problems with concentration
• Risk of heart disease and diabetes
• Changes to your mood

You can find more detailed information about all these side effects and ways to help manage or reduce them on our Living with hormone therapy page.

• What is the aim of this treatment?
• What type of hormone treatment will I have and why?
• How long would it be before we know that the hormone treatment is working?
• What side effects should I expect?
• How often will you monitor my condition throughout this treatment?
• What other treatments are available if the cancer starts to grow again?

You can find a full list of references used to produce this page in our online fact sheet.