Who Might Be Offered Ovarian Suppression
Ovarian suppression may be recommended if all the following apply:
- You are premenopausal
- You have had chemotherapy
- Your breast cancer is ER+
The benefit may be more in younger women compared with women older than this.
Evidence suggests that women who are premenopausal after chemotherapy may benefit most from ovarian suppression. Older premenopausal women may not get as much benefit from ovarian suppression after chemotherapy.
Ovarian suppression might be offered to people with primary or secondary breast cancer.
How To Take Leuprolide Acetate
Leuprolide acetate is given as an injection under the skin, every 4 weeks. There is also a long acting formulation , which is given every 3, 4 or 6 months into the muscle . Leuprolide acetate can also be administered as an implant that is inserted under the skin in the upper arm and lasts for 12 months.
Side Effects Requiring Immediate Medical Attention
Along with its needed effects, leuprolide may cause some unwanted effects. Although not all of these side effects may occur, if they do occur they may need medical attention.
Check with your doctor immediately if any of the following side effects occur while taking leuprolide:
For adults
- Bone, muscle, or joint pain
- chest tightness
- numbness or tingling of the hands or feet
- puffiness or swelling of the eyelids or around the eyes
- sudden, severe decrease in blood pressure and collapse
- trouble breathing
- Arm, back, or jaw pain
- bloody or cloudy urine
- difficult, burning, or painful urination
- difficulty with moving
- increased urge to urinate during the night
- muscle pain or stiffness
- pain in the arms or legs
- pain in the joints
- waking to urinate at night
Rare
- Pain in the groin or legs
Incidence not known
- burning, numbness, tingling, or painful sensations
- weakness in the arms, hands, legs, or feet
For females only
- pain or redness at the injection site
- runny or stuffy nose
- Burning, itching, or swelling at the injection site
Incidence not known
For females only expected in first few weeks
Rare
- white vaginal discharge
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When Is Hormone Therapy Used For Breast Cancer
Hormone therapy is often used after surgery to help reduce the risk of the cancer coming back. Sometimes it is started before surgery .
It is usually taken for at least 5 years. Treatment longer than 5 years might be offered to women whose cancers have a higher chance of coming back. A test called the Breast Cancer Index might be used to help decide if a woman will benefit from more than 5 years of hormone therapy.
Hormone therapy can also be used to treat cancer that has come back after treatment or that has spread to other parts of the body.
Lupron Depot Vs Lupron Depot
Lupron Depot and Lupron Depot-Ped contain the same active drug, leuprolide acetate. Theyre used to treat different conditions in different age groups.
Lupron Depot is used in adults, and Lupron Depot-Ped is used in children.
This article discusses both Lupron Depot and Lupron Depot-Ped. Read on to learn about this medications dosage, side effects, uses, and more.
Like most drugs, Lupron Depot may cause mild or serious side effects. The lists below describe some of the more common side effects that Lupron Depot may cause. These lists dont include all possible side effects.
Keep in mind that side effects of a drug can depend on:
- other health conditions you have
- other medications you take
The side effects of Lupron Depot might differ depending on the condition its being used to treat.
Your doctor or pharmacist can tell you more about the potential side effects of Lupron Depot. They can also suggest ways to help reduce side effects.
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What Happens When Hormone Therapy Stops Working
After some months or years the hormone treatment usually stops working and the cancer starts to grow again. Your doctor might recommend stopping or changing hormone treatment at this stage. If youre having anti androgens and your PSA level has started to rise again your doctor might get you to stop taking them.
Lupron Depot For Central Precocious Puberty
Lupron Depot-Ped is FDA-approved for the treatment of central precocious puberty in children. With this condition, children to begin their sexual development earlier than usual . This can lead to a growth spurt earlier in life. However, children with this condition may stop growing earlier than their peers.
Children with central precocious puberty may be shorter as adults than they would be otherwise. The condition can also lead to emotional, psychological, and behavioral problems due to experiencing hormonal changes earlier than their peers.
Lupron Depot-Ped contains the active drug leuprolide acetate, which belongs to a class of drugs called gonadotropin releasing hormone agonists. It works by stopping the body from releasing certain sex hormones, which will delay puberty while its being given.
* Sex and gender exist on spectrums. Use of the terms female and male in this article refers to sex assigned at birth.
Effectiveness for central precocious puberty
In a clinical study, 55 children with central precocious puberty were treated with Lupron Depot-Ped. By the end of the first month of treatment, Lupron Depot-Ped successfully reduced sex hormones to prepuberty levels in 96% of the children.
* Sex and gender exist on spectrums. Use of the term female in this article refers to sex assigned at birth.
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How Long Do I Need Ovarian Suppression For
If you are having ovarian suppression to try to preserve fertility during chemotherapy, an injection is usually given at least two weeks before chemotherapy starts, then every four weeks during chemotherapy.
Ovarian suppression as a treatment for primary breast cancer is usually given for between two and five years.
If you are having ovarian suppression for secondary breast cancer, you will usually continue for as long as the treatment is effective.
How Does Ovarian Suppression Work As A Treatment For Breast Cancer
Some breast cancers use oestrogen in the body to help them grow. These are known as oestrogen-receptor positive or ER+ breast cancers. Before the menopause, oestrogen is mainly produced by the ovaries.
If the ovaries are removed, or if they are stopped from working, theres less oestrogen in the body to help the cancer to grow. This is ovarian suppression.
Small amounts of oestrogen will still be produced by fat cells.
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What Should I Expect After My First Lupron Shot
What to expect at the start of treatment. While LUPRON DEPOT ultimately reduces testosterone in your body, during the first few weeks of therapy, your testosterone levels may rise before they fall. You may experience temporary new or worsening symptoms of prostate cancer, including urinary symptoms and bone pain.
How Lupron Depot Works
Lupron Depot contains the drug leuprolide acetate, which belongs to a class of drugs called gonadotropin releasing hormone agonists. It works by blocking your body from creating certain hormones, like estrogen and testosterone.
These hormones play key roles in many of our bodily functions. However, when the hormones are out of balance, they can cause negative side effects. For example, testosterone signals prostate cancer cells to grow. Lupron Depot works by stopping the production of testosterone in your body. This can help stop prostate cancer cells from growing.
With endometriosis, estrogen affects lesions by stimulating them to bleed like uterine tissue. This is often uncomfortable and painful.
Estrogen also can cause uterine fibroids to develop and grow. By blocking estrogen production, Lupron Depot helps reduce pain and can shrink or get rid of lesions and uterine fibroids.
Lupron Depot-Ped is used for central precocious puberty, a condition in which a child experiences the effects of puberty earlier than usual. Lupron Depot-Ped works by blocking certain hormones that make childrens bodies undergo puberty. This delays puberty as long as the child uses the medication.
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What Should I Know About Lupron Depot Vs Eligard
Lupron Depot and Eligard are both brand-name prescription medications. Both contain the same active drug, leuprolide acetate. But they differ in some of their uses.
To learn more about how Lupron Depot and Eligard compare, see this article. You can also ask your doctor if one of these drugs may be right for you.
When considering Lupron Depot treatment, some important things to talk with your doctor about include your overall health and current medications. Read on to find out more about what factors can affect whether Lupron Depot is a good treatment option.
Lupron Depot For Endometriosis
Lupron Depot is FDA-approved to treat endometriosis in adults. It can help relieve pain associated with endometriosis. It can also reduce the size of lesions .
With endometriosis, the lining normally found inside the uterus begins to grow outside the uterus. This may occur in the ovaries, fallopian tubes, or other areas. These lesions can bleed and break down, resulting in pain and scar tissue. The lesions grow with the help of a hormone called estrogen thats naturally produced in the body.
Lupron Depot contains the drug leuprolide acetate, which belongs to a class of drugs called gonadotropin releasing hormone agonists. It works by blocking your body from creating certain hormones, like estrogen. This can help stop lesions from growing.
One of the possible side effects of Lupron Depot is a loss of bone density. Norethindrone acetate is a drug often given with Lupron Depot to help prevent bone density loss.
Effectiveness for endometriosis
In 6-month clinical studies, females* with endometriosis received either a 3.75-mg injection of Lupron Depot each month or an 800-mg tablet of danazol every day. At the end of the studies, both therapies were found to be effective in relieving pelvic pain and tenderness, painful periods, painful intercourse, and endometrial hardening, as well as reducing endometrial lesion size.
* Sex and gender exist on spectrums. Use of the term female in this article refers to sex assigned at birth.
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Is Lupron Depot Used To Treat Breast Cancer
Doctors may prescribe Lupron Depot off-label to treat certain types of breast cancer. Off-label refers to when doctors prescribe a drug for a use other than the those specifically approved by the Food and Drug Administration .
Hormones, such as estrogen and progesterone, can fuel the growth and spread of some cancers. This includes certain types of breast cancer. Lupron Depot is used to stop your body from making these hormones. This effect is meant to slow or stop the cancer from growing and spreading.
Talk with your doctor if you have questions about FDA-approved or off-label treatments for breast cancer.
Side Effects Not Requiring Immediate Medical Attention
Some side effects of leuprolide may occur that usually do not need medical attention. These side effects may go away during treatment as your body adjusts to the medicine. Also, your health care professional may be able to tell you about ways to prevent or reduce some of these side effects.
Check with your health care professional if any of the following side effects continue or are bothersome or if you have any questions about them:
For adults
- Sudden sweating and feeling of warmth
Less common
- Bleeding, bruising, burning, itching, pain, redness, or swelling at the injection site
- swelling of the feet or lower legs
- swelling or increased tenderness of the breasts
- trouble sleeping
- general feeling of discomfort or illness
- loss of appetite
- pain or discomfort at the injection site
- redness of the face, neck, arms, and occasionally, upper chest
- unusual drowsiness, dullness, tiredness, weakness, or feeling of sluggishness
Less common
- inability to have or keep an erection
Incidence not known
- Increased sensitivity of the skin to sunlight
- redness or other discoloration of the skin
- redness of the face, neck, arms and occasionally, upper chest
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What Is Lupron Depot Used For
Lupron Depot and Lupron Depot-Ped are a type of hormone therapy. This medication belongs to a group of drugs called gonadotropin-releasing hormone agonists.
GnRH agonists work by activating the pituitary gland in your brain to release certain hormones. In turn, these hormones cause your reproductive system to release a surge of sex hormones.
This surge signals your body to stop making the sex hormones. Ultimately, in males, Lupron Depot causes the testicles to stop making testosterone. And in females, the drug causes the ovaries to stop making estrogen and progesterone.
Lupron Depot and Lupron Depot-Ped are used to treat certain conditions that may improve when the body stops making these hormones. These conditions are described below.
* In this article, we use the terms male and female to refer to someones sex assigned at birth. For information about the difference between sex and gender, see this article.
Lupron Depot For Palliative Treatment Of Advanced Prostate Cancer
Lupron Depot is FDA-approved as a palliative treatment for advanced prostate cancer in adults.
Lupron Depot contains the drug leuprolide acetate, which belongs to a class of drugs called gonadotropin releasing hormone agonists. It works by blocking your body from creating certain hormones, like testosterone. This can help stop prostate cancer cells from growing.
Effectiveness for advanced prostate cancer
In four clinical studies, males* with advanced prostate cancer were given Lupron Depot in various dosage schedules:
- 7.5-mg injection every month for 6 months
- 22.5-mg injection every 3 months for 6 months
- 30-mg injection every 4 months for 8 months
- 45-mg injection every 6 months for 1 year
The studies evaluated how much Lupron Depot could lower testosterone levels and stop prostate tumors from growing. In 93.4% to 95% of males, testosterone levels below 50 ng/dL were achieved within 4 weeks of the first injection, regardless of their dosage schedule.
The studies also looked at tumor growth. In 77% to 85% of males taking Lupron Depot, there was no tumor growth during the clinical studies.
* Sex and gender exist on spectrums. Use of the term male in this article refers to sex assigned at birth.
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Extended Endocrine Therapy For Premenopausal Women With Breast Cancer
| The safety and scientific validity of this study is the responsibility of the study sponsor and investigators. Listing a study does not mean it has been evaluated by the U.S. Federal Government. Read our disclaimer for details. |
| First Posted : May 18, 2009Results First Posted : February 4, 2016Last Update Posted : April 18, 2016 |
| Drug: leuprolideDrug: letrozoleDrug: zoledronic acid | Phase 2 |
- Participants will be given a monthly intramuscular injection of leuprolide. Six to eight weeks after the first leuprolide injection, participants will be instructed to begin taking letrozole pills by mouth at home each day.
- During this research study, participants will also be offered injections of zoledronic acid to preserve bone mineral density. If desire, these injections will be given every 6 months for a total of 4 injections during the course of the research study.
- The treatments in this research study may increase the risk of bone density loss, so vitamin D and calcium supplements will be recommended to participants.
- The following tests and procedures will be performed during the research study: Physical Exam Blood tests Urine test Imaging Bone Density Scan Questionnaires .
- Participants will be on this study for about two years.
How Does Hormone Therapy Work
About 2 out of 3 breast cancers are hormone receptor-positive. Their cells have receptors for estrogen and/or progesterone which help the cancer cells grow and spread.
There are several types of hormone therapy for breast cancer. Most types of hormone therapy either lower estrogen levels in the body or stop estrogen from helping breast cancer cells grow.
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Drug Forms And Administration
Lupron Depot and Eligard are both given as an injection by your doctor. Lupron Depot is injected into the muscle of the upper arm, the area above the buttocks, or the outer part of the upper thigh. Eligard is injected under the skin into the abdomen , upper buttocks, or anywhere that has enough fatty tissue.
Questions About Lupron Depots Dosage
Below are some common questions about Lupron Depots dosage.
- What if I miss a dose of Lupron Depot? A healthcare professional will give Lupron Depot injections to you. If you miss your appointment, contact your doctors office as soon as possible to reschedule. Missing doses of this medication could cause your condition to get worse.
- Will I need to use Lupron Depot long term? Lupron Depot may be used short term or long term. How long youll receive this treatment depends on the condition its being used to treat.
- How long does Lupron Depot take to work? Lupron Depot begins working right away. But in the first 1 to 2 weeks, the drug may cause a short-term surge in your bodys testosterone or estrogen level. This may cause the condition being treated to get worse before it gets better. Within 2 to 4 weeks of starting treatment, your testosterone or estrogen levels should drop. When this occurs, you may start to feel some improvement in the symptoms of your condition.
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