Written by Dr.Albana Greca Sejdini, Md, MMedSc

Prostate Cancer Drugs

What are the prostate cancer drugs? What can they do? How they can help in prostate cancer? Do they have any side effects? Which is the best alternative?

Unfortunately, prostate cancer is the 3rd leading cause of death among all types of cancers in USA.

Prostate cancer starts when bizarre cells perform uncontrolled growth inside the normal prostatic tissue forming tumor mass. Usually, this abnormal cellular growth is enhanced by male sexual hormones (androgens), such as testosterone.

Eventually, the growing tumor will influence the normal sexual potency as well as normal urinary bladder functions, causing ejaculatory and urinary troubles.

There are three main types of prostate cancer drugs:


  1. Hormone therapy drugs
  2. Chemotherapy drugs
  3. Herbs such as PC-SPES; which is a mixture of eight herbs


1. Hormone therapy drugs

Prostate cancer is curable if detected early. Treatment options are determined according to the stage and grade of the tumor.

In early stage of prostate cancer, the treatments of choice are; watchful waiting, surgical excision or radiation therapy. But when the tumor becomes advanced or starts to metastasize to other parts of the body, hormonal manipulation prostate cancer drugs are used.

Hormone therapy involves drugs which can block or restrict effect of certain hormones (androgens or male sex hormones) which usually enhance the growth of tumor cells.

When tumor mass is huge, the drugs manipulating androgens can be combined with other treatment of choice like radiotherapy. It is uncommon for the hormonal therapy to eradicate the prostate cancer totally; this prostate cancer drug treatment can only cause the tumor to shrink by 85-90%.

Prostate cancer drugs used in hormonal therapy include:

Hormone prostate

Related topics:


Return To Home