Why do I have to take anti-androgen drugs after my testicles are removed for prostate cancer?

  The testes are the main source of male androgens, accounting for about 95% of the total amount. To block androgens in the human body, we must of course start from here and disable the testes, i.e. “depot treatment”; the remaining 5% is secreted by the adrenal glands or other glands. For patients with more severe disease, the blocking of androgen secretion by the testes is accompanied by the use of anti-androgen drugs. These drugs prevent androgens from binding to tumor receptors, so that the tumor does not even get the remaining 5% of androgens, i.e., maximum androgen blockade therapy.  Surgery was a common form of debulking in the past, whereby the patient’s testicles were removed, and after surgery the patient’s androgen levels could rapidly drop to the treatment goal. However, this sudden decrease in androgens can easily cause osteoporosis and lead to fractures, especially in patients who have already developed spinal metastases, so these patients should be treated with bisphosphonates for osteoporosis and also with some oral anti-androgen drugs for prevention. As mentioned earlier, the use of anti-androgen drugs will make the tumor unacceptable and consume androgens, relatively, the amount of available androgens in the body will rise, and the osteoporosis can be improved to some extent. It has been studied that anti-androgen drugs can reduce the risk of fracture in prostate cancer patients.  The patient can be discharged from the hospital 3-5 days after the orchiectomy and the PSA will be checked after one month. For these patients, a PSA of less than 2 is sufficient to meet the standard, and then every three months thereafter. There are some exceptions, if the patient’s PSA is very high before surgery, above 20, then it may not be metabolized one month after surgery, and it needs to be checked again after one month, and continuous follow-up observation until the PSA drops to the lowest value. For this situation, patients are advised to take oral anti-androgen drugs synergistically after surgery.  The effective duration of surgical anti-androgen therapy is not conclusive and can theoretically last for life, but the tumor is also mutating and may gradually transform into an androgen-resistant tumor. If combined with anti-androgen medication, the efficacy can usually be maintained for two to three years.