Course Content
Module 1 — Principles of Hormone Therapy in Oncology
Mechanism and Dosing Overview Aromatase Inhibitors (AIs): block the enzyme aromatase (CYP19A1), which converts androgens to estrogens in adipose and peripheral tissues. Examples: Anastrozole 1 mg orally daily, Letrozole 2.5 mg orally daily, Exemestane 25 mg orally daily. These are the preferred agents in postmenopausal women with estrogen receptor–positive breast cancer. Selective Estrogen Receptor Modulators (SERMs): such as Tamoxifen 20 mg orally daily — bind the estrogen receptor and act as antagonists in breast tissue but partial agonists in bone and endometrium. Selective Estrogen Receptor Degraders (SERDs): such as Fulvestrant 500 mg intramuscularly on days 0, 14, 28, then every 28 days thereafter — promote estrogen receptor degradation. CYP17 Inhibitors: Abiraterone acetate 1000 mg orally daily on an empty stomach plus Prednisone 5 mg orally twice daily — block the CYP17A1 enzyme, suppressing androgen synthesis in adrenal glands and tumors. Gonadotropin-Releasing Hormone (GnRH) Agonists and Antagonists: Leuprolide 7.5 mg subcutaneously every 4 weeks or depot every 3–6 months; Degarelix 240 mg subcutaneously loading dose, then 80 mg every 4 weeks; Relugolix 120 mg orally daily — suppress testosterone or estrogen production by downregulating or directly blocking pituitary gonadotropin release.
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Hormone Therapy for Cancer Patients: Mechanisms, Indications, and Clinical Practice

Purpose: unify patient follow-up tools — you can embed downloadable PDFs or digital forms here.

Validated tools

Tool Use Scoring
EORTC QLQ-C30 Global oncology QoL 30 items → transformed 0–100 (higher = better)
SF-36 General health survey 8 subscales; MCS/PCS summary scores
FACT-P Prostate-specific QoL Physical, social, emotional, functional + prostate subscale
HADS Anxiety/Depression 14 items; ≥ 8 = probable disorder
PHQ-9 Depression severity 9 items; ≥ 10 = moderate depression
IPSS Urinary symptoms (prostate) 0–7 mild, 8–19 moderate, 20–35 severe

Suggested workflow

  1. Baseline: EORTC QLQ-C30 + disease-specific (FACT-P or IPSS).

  2. During therapy: repeat every 6–12 months.

  3. After therapy: once yearly for survivorship monitoring.

  4. Record results in EMR; track trends over time.

Patient engagement tip: share printed scores with patients to visualize progress — it reinforces adherence and shared decision-making.