Medical castration
Medical castration is a term referring to the use of medication to suppress or halt the production of testosterone or other hormones. It is often used as a treatment for prostate cancer and other hormone-dependent conditions.
Overview[edit | edit source]
Medical castration is a form of chemical castration, which uses pharmaceutical drugs to deactivate the testes. Unlike surgical castration, where the testes are removed through an incision in the scrotum, medical castration avoids the need for surgery.
The drugs used for medical castration are known as gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH) agonists. These drugs work by sending a signal to the pituitary gland to stop producing luteinizing hormone, which in turn stops the testes from producing testosterone.
Uses[edit | edit source]
Medical castration is primarily used as a treatment for prostate cancer. By reducing the levels of testosterone in the body, the growth of prostate cancer cells can be slowed or stopped. This treatment is often used in combination with other treatments, such as radiation therapy or chemotherapy.
In addition to prostate cancer, medical castration can also be used to treat other hormone-dependent conditions, such as breast cancer and certain types of ovarian cancer.
Side effects[edit | edit source]
Like all medical treatments, medical castration can have side effects. These can include hot flashes, fatigue, weight gain, and loss of libido. In some cases, long-term use of medical castration can lead to osteoporosis.
See also[edit | edit source]
| Medical castration Resources | |
|---|---|
|
 |
Search WikiMD
Ad.Tired of being Overweight? Try W8MD's physician weight loss program.
Semaglutide (Ozempic / Wegovy and Tirzepatide (Mounjaro / Zepbound) available.
Advertise on WikiMD
|
WikiMD's Wellness Encyclopedia |
| Let Food Be Thy Medicine Medicine Thy Food - Hippocrates |
Translate this page: - East Asian
中文,
日本,
한국어,
South Asian
हिन्दी,
தமிழ்,
తెలుగు,
Urdu,
ಕನ್ನಡ,
Southeast Asian
Indonesian,
Vietnamese,
Thai,
မြန်မာဘာသာ,
বাংলা
European
español,
Deutsch,
français,
Greek,
português do Brasil,
polski,
română,
русский,
Nederlands,
norsk,
svenska,
suomi,
Italian
Middle Eastern & African
عربى,
Turkish,
Persian,
Hebrew,
Afrikaans,
isiZulu,
Kiswahili,
Other
Bulgarian,
Hungarian,
Czech,
Swedish,
മലയാളം,
मराठी,
ਪੰਜਾਬੀ,
ગુજરાતી,
Portuguese,
Ukrainian
Medical Disclaimer: WikiMD is not a substitute for professional medical advice. The information on WikiMD is provided as an information resource only, may be incorrect, outdated or misleading, and is not to be used or relied on for any diagnostic or treatment purposes. Please consult your health care provider before making any healthcare decisions or for guidance about a specific medical condition. WikiMD expressly disclaims responsibility, and shall have no liability, for any damages, loss, injury, or liability whatsoever suffered as a result of your reliance on the information contained in this site. By visiting this site you agree to the foregoing terms and conditions, which may from time to time be changed or supplemented by WikiMD. If you do not agree to the foregoing terms and conditions, you should not enter or use this site. See full disclaimer.
Credits:Most images are courtesy of Wikimedia commons, and templates Wikipedia, licensed under CC BY SA or similar.
Contributors: Prab R. Tumpati, MD
