How is hormone therapy used to treat breast cancer?

Rebecca J. Jaslow, MD

Academic Title: Clinical Assistant Professor

Board Certifications:
Medical Oncology, Hematology, Internal Medicine

Hormonal or endocrine therapy is used to treat breast cancer that expresses estrogen and/or progesterone receptors. These therapies are usually pills or shots that block these hormone receptors and thereby destroy the malignant cells. They can be used to help prevent cancer recurrence by giving them postoperatively for hormone receptor positive breast cancer, and can also be used to treat metastatic hormone receptor positive breast cancer as well.