Hormone Therapy for Cancer

March 11, 2026

This page was reviewed under our medical and editorial policy by Barbara Buttin, M.D., gynecologic oncologist and associate clinical professor, Department of Surgery, City of Hope^® Cancer Center Chicago.

Hormone therapy is a treatment that may be recommended for certain types of cancer, in particular, breast cancer and prostate cancer. It may also be used for some forms of uterine cancer.

Hormone therapy is sometimes referred to as hormonal therapy or endocrine therapy.

What Is Hormone Therapy for Cancer?

Some cancer types rely on hormones produced in the body to grow and spread. Hormone therapy treats cancer by stopping or changing how these hormones are produced. There are several different types of hormone therapy, each of which targets a hormone that is specific to the kind of cancer it is used to treat.

Hormone Therapy vs. Chemotherapy

Hormone therapy and chemotherapy are sometimes used together to treat cancer. Though they are both considered systemic treatments — which means that they travel throughout the body — hormone therapy and chemotherapy work differently.

Chemotherapy enters the bloodstream and destroys cells that are in the process of dividing. This means it is able to kill cancer cells and stop them from growing. However, chemotherapy also kills healthy cells that are dividing and growing.

Hormone therapy is the name for a group of targeted treatments that are designed to enter the bloodstream and find a specific type of hormone. Most hormonal therapies do not destroy the hormones themselves, but they block the hormone receptors. There are several mechanisms by which hormone therapy can interfere with the function of gonadal (coming from the testes or ovaries) hormones, either by blocking production at various regions in the body, or blocking the receptors on the cancer cells that are trying to receive the hormones as growth factors. By disrupting how hormones are produced, hormone therapy helps slow the growth of cancers that depend on hormones to survive.

The main benefit of hormone therapy is that it is targeted, meaning that it does not affect healthy cells. However, both types of treatment may cause side effects.

How Does Hormone Therapy Work?

Some cancers use hormones produced inside the body to fuel their growth. These include certain types of breast and prostate cancer, as well as adrenal and uterine cancer. As part of their comprehensive treatment plan, some patients with these cancers may undergo hormone therapy, which may help slow the growth of their cancer by starving it of the hormones it needs to grow.

To Treat Breast Cancer

Around two-thirds of breast cancers use hormones like estrogen and progesterone to help them grow. Hormone therapy for breast cancer usually focuses on stopping or reducing the production of these hormones. Patients often use hormone therapy for up to five years after breast surgery, with the goal of preventing cancer from coming back.

To Treat Prostate Cancer

Hormones called androgens play a role in the growth of prostate cancer. Hormone therapy for prostate cancer (sometimes called androgen deprivation therapy) works to slow or stop the production of certain kinds of androgens. It may be used before or during radiation therapy. In some cases, it is used after other treatments to help prevent cancer recurrence.

To Treat Uterine (Endometrial) Cancer

Hormone therapy for uterine cancer is designed to reduce the body’s production of estrogen or progesterone. There are several different types of hormone therapy, all of which work slightly differently. Some treatments are used for early-stage uterine cancer, or for patients who wish to avoid surgery to preserve fertility potential. However, it may be used to treat uterine cancer that has come back, or spread, after initial treatment.

To Treat Adrenal Cancer

Adrenal cancers may affect how the body produces certain hormones. Hormone therapy may be recommended to reduce the production of some kinds of hormones that are helping cancer to grow. The exact type of therapy depends on the unique characteristics of a patient’s cancer.

How Is It Given?

Hormone therapy may be given in a variety of ways, depending on which type of hormone therapy a patient receives, as follows.

Oral hormone therapy: This therapy is taken by mouth in the form of a capsule, pill or a liquid.

Injectable hormone therapy: Sometimes called intramuscular injections, these are administered using a needle inserted into the arm, leg, stomach or hip. In some cases, these types are also called subcutaneous injections.

Side Effects

As with any type of medical treatment, hormone therapy may cause side effects. The type of side effects patients experience depends on what kind of cancer type they have and what kind of hormone therapy they are taking.

For patients with breast or uterine cancer, hormone therapy may cause the following side effects:

• Fatigue
• Nausea
• Muscle or joint pain
• A decrease in sexual desire
• Changes to periods, for pre- or perimenopausal women
• Vaginal discharge, dryness or irritation
• Hot flashes
• Brittle or weaker bones

Common side effects of hormone therapy for prostate cancer include:

• Fatigue
• Nausea
• Muscle or joint pain
• A decrease in sexual desire
• Issues getting or maintaining an erection
• Hot flashes
• Brittle or weaker bones
• Weight gain

Drug Safety

Like chemotherapy and other cancer treatments, hormone therapy may be hazardous if it is not administered or managed correctly. Cancer nurses and physicians are trained in how to handle and use any hormone therapy drug that has the potential to cause harm to medical providers, loved ones or people other than a patient.

Hormone Therapy Research

Scientists and researchers are continuing to investigate new, innovative hormone therapy treatments for a wide range of cancer types, thanks to research projects and clinical trials taking place at City of Hope and elsewhere.