Table of Contents

Chapter 6: Using Hormone Therapy

ii. LHRH Agonists

By far, the most commonly used hormone therapy drug class is the LHRH agonists or LHRH analogues. Clinical trials have shown that their use provides the same benefit as does surgical removal of the testes, but for obvious reasons is typically preferred by men over surgery. LHRH agonists are given in the form of regular shots: once a month, once every three months, once every four months, or once per year. These long-acting drugs are injected under the skin and most of them form into a time-release "pellet" that releases the drug slowly over time.While some men might prefer the longest-acting of these time-release drugs to avoid regular drug injections, many physicians prefer the flexibility of using shorter-duration dosing so that treatment can be adjusted or changed if and when the need arises. Keep in mind that the injections must be administered regularly for life, so if you have a fear of needles or tend to find them painful, "medical castration" with LHRH agonists might not be the best choice for you.