Testosterone and Prostate Cancer

There is some debate about the relationship between testosterone and prostate cancer.

While some evidence suggests that testosterone stimulates cancer growth, other experts believe that declining testosterone levels in relation to oestrogen levels are a contributing factor to prostate cancer.

This is what we currently believe to the relationship between testosterone and prostate cancer:

Hormones are necessary for cells within the prostate to grow, and testosterone is needed for cancer cells in the prostate to grow and reproduce.

For this reason hormone therapy, one common type of prostate cancer treatment aims to stop the body producing testosterone, or limits the body’s ability to use it, thus preventing the cancer from growing.

There are some side effects to this type of prostate cancer treatment as testosterone is useful to the body in many ways.

Side effects of hormone therapy can include:

• Loss of sex drive
• Erectile dysfunction
• Swelling of the breasts
• Weight gain
• Hot flushes

However, hormone therapy for prostate cancer can slow down the growth and spread of the cancer meaning that many men can live with it for years without the need for invasive treatment.

The Risks of Testosterone Replacement Therapy

As they age many men are tempted by testosterone replacement therapy, which can increase muscle mass, sharpen the mind, and boost libido and energy levels.

However, testosterone replacement therapy comes with some risks for the prostate.

It can trigger the symptoms of non-cancerous enlarged prostate or Benign Prostatic Hyperplasia, and if there are already some cancer cells present in the prostate it can make them grow and multiply very quickly.

There are also a number of other side effects of testosterone replacement therapy to be aware of before you consider it.

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