Androgen deprivation therapy

Androgen deprivation therapy (ADT), also called androgen ablation therapy or androgen suppression therapy, is an antihormone therapy whose main use is in treating prostate cancer. Prostate cancer cells usually require androgen hormones, such as testosterone, to grow. ADT reduces the levels of androgen hormones, with drugs or surgery, to prevent the prostate cancer cells from growing. The pharmaceutical approaches include antiandrogens and chemical castration.

Several studies have concluded that ADT has demonstrated benefit in patients with metastatic disease, and as an adjunct to radiation therapy in patients with locally advanced disease, as well as those with unfavorable intermediate-risk or high-risk localized disease. However, in patients with low-risk prostate cancer, ADT has demonstrated no survival advantage, and significant harm, such as impotence, diabetes and bone loss.

The therapy can also eliminate cancer cells by inducing androgen deprivation-induced senescence. Lowering androgen levels or stopping them from getting into prostate cancer cells often makes prostate cancer shrink or grow more slowly for a time. However, this treatment needs to be combined with radiation therapy (RT) because ADT itself does not eradicate the cancer; it just decreases its aggressiveness.