Impact of gender-affirming hormone therapy on the development of COVID-19 infections and associated complications:A systematic review

BACKGROUND Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2(SARS-CoV-2)can produce a wide range of clinical manifestations from asymptomatic to life-threatening.Various researchers have worked to elucidate the pathogenic mechanisms underlying these variable presentations.Differences in individual responses to systemic inflammation and coagulopathy appear to be modulated by several factors,including sex steroid hormones.Transgender men or non-binary individuals who undergo gender-affirming hormone therapy(GAHT)are a unique population of interest for exploring the androgen-mediated coronavirus disease 2019(COVID-19)hypothesis.As the search for reliable and effective COVID-19 treatments continues,understanding the risks and benefits of GAHT may mitigate COVID-19 related morbidity and mortality in this patient population.AIM To investigate the potential role of GAHT in the development of COVID-19 infections and complications.METHODS This systematic review implemented an algorithmic approach using PRISMA guidelines.PubMed,Scopus,Google Scholar top 100 results,and archives of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery was on January 12,2022 using the key words“gender”AND“hormone”AND“therapy”AND“COVID-19”as well as associated terms.Non-English articles,articles published prior to 2019(prior to COVID-19),and manuscripts in the form of reviews,commentaries,or letters were excluded.References of the selected publications were screened as well.RESULTS The database search resulted in the final inclusion of 14 studies related to GAHT COVID-19.Of the included studies,only two studies directly involved and reported on COVID-19 in transgender patients.Several clinical trials looked at the relationship between testosterone,estrogen,and progesterone in COVID-19 infected cis-gender men and women.It has been proposed that androgens may facilitate initial COVID-19 infection,however,once this occurs,testosterone may have a protective effect.Multiple clinical studies have shown that low baseline testosterone levels in men with COVID-19 are associated with worsening outcomes.The role of female sex hormones,including estrogen and progesterone have also been proposed as potential protective factors in COVID-19 infection.This was exemplified in multiple studies investigating different outcomes in pre-and post-menopausal women as well as those taking hormone replacement therapy.Two studies related specifically to transgender patients and GAHT found that estrogen and progesterone could help protect men against COVID-19,and that testosterone hormone therapy may increase the risk of contracting COVID-19.CONCLUSION Few studies were found related to the role of GAHT in COVID-19 infections.Additional research is necessary to enhance our understanding of this relationship and provide better care for transgender patients.

Does the use of double hormone replacement therapy for trauma patient organ donors improve organ recovery for transplant

BACKGROUND With an ongoing demand for transplantable organs,optimization of donor management protocols,specifically in trauma populations,is important for obta-ining a high yield of viable organs per patient.Endocrine management of brain-dead potential organ donors(BPODs)is controversial,leading to heterogeneous clinical management approaches.Previous studies have shown that when levo-thyroxine was combined with other treatments,including steroids,vasopressin,and insulin,BPODs had better organ recovery and survival outcomes were increased for transplant recipients.AIM To determine if levothyroxine use in combination with steroids in BPODs increased the number of organs donated in trauma patients.METHODS A retrospective review of adult BPODs from a single level 1 trauma center over ten years was performed.Exclusion criteria included patients who were not solid organ donors,patients who were not declared brain dead(donation after circulatory death),and patients who did not receive steroids in their hospital course.Levothyroxine and steroid administration,the number of organs donated,the types of organs donated,and demographic information were recorded.Univariate analyses were performed with P<0.05 considered to be statistically significant.RESULTS A total of 88 patients met inclusion criteria,69(78%)of whom received levothyroxine and steroids(ST/LT group)vs 19(22%)receiving steroids without levothyroxine(ST group).No differences were observed between the groups for gender,race,pertinent injury factors,age,or other hormone therapies used(P>0.05).In the ST/LT group,68.1%(n=47)donated a high yield(3-5)of organ types per donor compared to 42.1%(n=8)in the ST group(P=0.038).There was no difference in the total number of organ types donated between the groups(P=0.068).CONCLUSION This study suggests that combining levothyroxine and steroid administration increases high-yield organ donation per donor in BPODs in the trauma patient population.Limitations to this study include the retrospective design and the relatively small number of organ donors who met inclusion criteria.This study is unique in that it mitigates steroid administration as a confounding variable and focuses specifically on the adjunctive use of levothyroxine.

Effect of TSH Suppression Therapy on Sex Hormone Levels after Thyroid Cancer Surgery

Objective:To analyze the effect of thyroid-stimulating hormone(TSH)suppression therapy on sex hormone levels in patients undergoing postoperative treatment for thyroid cancer.Methods:A total of 40 patients undergoing postoperative thyroid cancer treatment were selected for data analysis.TSH suppression therapy was implemented during the postoperative period.Patients were grouped according to the TSH level:TSH<0.1,0.1≤TSH<0.5,and TSH≥0.5.Results:Among male patients,there were no significant differences in sex hormone levels at different dosing times and TSH levels(P>0.05).For female patients,testosterone levels at different dosing times showed no significant differences under the same circumstances(P>0.05).The comparison of testosterone levels at different TSH levels over 5 years of TSH suppression therapy did not yield significant differences(P>0.05).However,the comparison of testosterone levels within 5 years of TSH suppression therapy yielded significant differences(P<0.05),with the lowest levels observed at 0.1≤TSH<0.5.Conclusion:The use of TSH suppression therapy in postoperative thyroid cancer treatment minimally affects sex hormone levels in male patients.However,it has a significant impact on female patients.Therefore,preoperative sex hormone testing is recommended,and postoperative monitoring should include regular sex hormone testing.

Analysis of the Effect of Hormone Therapy Combined with Hydroxychloroquine in the Treatment of IgA Nephropathy

Objective:To explore and analyze the effect of hormone therapy combined with hydroxychloroquine in the treatment of IgA nephropathy.Methods:30 patients with IgA nephropathy who were admitted to the Urology Department of Jiuquan hospital from August 2021 to May 2023 were selected as the research subjects,and they divided into an observation group and control group by drawing lots,with 15 cases in each group.The observation group underwent hydroxychloroquine treatment in addition of hormone therapy,and the control group underwent conventional treatment and hormone therapy.The rate of effectiveness of treatment,serum index,and renal function of both groups were compared.Results:The incidence of adverse reactions in the observation group was significantly lower than that in the control group(P<0.05).There was no significant difference in serum creatinine and serum albumin(P>0.05)between the groups before treatment;after treatment,the serum creatinine and serum albumin in the steroid group were significantly better than those in the reference group(P<0.05).Besides,there was no significant difference in urine protein quantification and glomerular filtration rate between the groups before treatment(P>0.05);after treatment,the hormone group’s urine protein quantification and glomerular filtration rate were significantly better than those in the reference group(P<0.05).The rate of effectiveness of the hormone group was significantly higher than that of the reference group(P<0.05).Conclusion:Hormone therapy combined with hydroxychloroquine in the treatment of IgA nephropathy is more effective than hormone therapy alone,thus this treatment plan is worthy of promotion and application.

Attributable Causes of Breast Cancer and Ovarian Cancer in China:Reproductive Factors,Oral Contraceptives and Hormone Replacement Therapy

Objective： To provide an evidence-based, consistent assessment of the burden of breast cancer attributable to reproductive factors （RFs, including nulliparity, mean number of children, age at first birth and breastfeeding）, use of oral contraceptives （OCs, restricted to the age group of 15-49 years）, and hormone replacement therapy （HRT）, as well as of the burden of ovarian cancer attributable to the mean number of children in China in 2005. Methods： We derived the prevalence of these risk factors and the relative risk of breast and ovarian cancer from national surveys or large-scale studies conducted in China. In the case of RFs, we compared the exposure distributions in 2001 and counterfactual exposure. Results： Exposure of RFs in 2002 was found to account for 6.74% of breast cancer, corresponding to 9,617 cases and 2,769 deaths, and for 2.78% of ovarian cancer （712 cases, 294 deaths）. The decrease in mean number of children alone was responsible for 1.47% of breast cancer and 2.78% of ovarian cancer. The prevalence of OC use was 1.74% and the population attributable fraction （PAF） of breast cancer was 0.71%, corresponding to 310 cases and 90 deaths. The PAF of breast cancer due to HRT was 0.31%, resulting in 297 cases and 85 deaths. Conclusion： RFs changes in China contributed to a sizable fraction of breast and ovarian cancer incidence and mortality, whereas HRT and OCs accounted for relatively low incidence of breast cancer in China.

Adjuvant hormone therapy after radical prostatectomy in highrisk localized and locally advanced prostate cancer: First multicenter, observational study in China

Objective: Potential of combined androgen blockade(CAB) has not been explored extensively in Chinese males with prostate cancer(PCa). Therefore, this study evaluated the 2-year prostate-specific antigen(PSA) recurrence rate and quality of life(Qo L) in patients with high-risk localized and locally advanced PCa receiving adjuvant hormone therapy(HT) after radical prostatectomy(RP).Methods: This prospective, multicenter, observational study conducted in 18 centers across China enrolled patients with high-risk factor(preoperative PSA>20 ng/m L or Gleason score >7) or locally advanced PCa. Different adjuvant HT were administered after RP according to investigator’s decision in routine clinical practice.Relationship of baseline and postoperative characteristics was assessed with recurrence rate. PSA recurrence rate and Functional Assessment of Cancer Therapy-Prostate(FACT-P) Qo L scores were recorded at 12 months and 24 months. Kaplan-Meier analysis was used to construct the PSA recurrence rate during follow-up.Results: A total of 189 patients(mean age: 66.9±6.5 years) were recruited, among which 112(59.3%) patients showed serum PSA>20 ng/m L preoperatively. The highest postoperative pathological advancement noticed was from clinical T2(c T2) to pathological T3(p T3)(43.9%) stage. The majority of the patients(66.1%) received CAB as adjuvant HT, for a median duration of 20.0 months. The least recurrence(15.2%) was noticed in patients treated with CAB, followed by those treated with luteinizing hormone-releasing hormone agonist(LHRHa)(16.1%), and antiandrogen(19.0%), with non-significant difference noted among the groups. None of the baseline or postoperative characteristics was related with PSA recurrence in our study. The 24-month FACT-P Qo L score of119 patients treated for >12 months showed significant improvement above baseline compared with those treated for ≤12 months.Conclusions: Adjuvant CAB therapy after RP showed reduction trend in 2-year PSA recurrence rate in highrisk Chinese patients with localized and locally advanced PCa, compared with adjuvant anti-androgens(AA) or LHRHa therapy. Further long-term therapy(>12 months) significantly improved Qo L compared to short-term HT therapy, suggesting the beneficial effect of long-term CAB therapy in improving Qo L.

Correlation of radiotherapy with prognosis of elderly patients with hormone receptor-positive breast cancer according to immunohistochemical subtyping

Objective: The present study examined the effect of radiotherapy on recurrence and survival in elderly patients with hormone receptor-positive early breast cancer.Methods: A retrospective analysis of 327 patients aged ≥65 years, with stage I-II, hormone receptor-positive breast cancer who underwent breast-conserving surgery and received endocrine therapy(ET) or radiotherapy plus endocrine therapy(ET+RT) was performed. Both groups were divided into luminal A type and luminal B type subgroups. Evaluation criteria were 5-year disease-free survival(DFS), local relapse rate(LRR), overall survival(OS), and distant metastasis rate(DMR).Results: There were significant differences in 5-year DFS [hazard ratio(HR)=1.59, 95% confidence interval(95% CI), 1.15-2.19;P=0.005] and LRR(HR=3.33, 95% CI, 1.51-7.34;P=0.003), whereas there were no significant differences in OS and DMR between ET group and ET+RT group. In luminal A type, there was no significant difference in 5-year DFS, LRR, OS and DMR between ET group and ET+RT group. In luminal B type,there were statistically significant differences in 5-year DFS(HR=2.19, 95% CI, 1.37-3.49;P=0.001), LRR(HR=5.45, 95% CI, 1.65-17.98;P=0.005), and OS(HR=1.75, 95% CI, 1.01-3.05;P=0.048) between ET group and ET+RT group. In the ET group, there were significant differences between luminal A type and luminal B type in5-year DFS(HR=1.84, 95% CI, 1.23-2.75;P=0.003) and OS(HR=1.76, 95% CI, 1.07-2.91;P=0.026).Conclusions: After breast-conserving surgery, radiotherapy can reduce the LRR and improve the DFS and OS of luminal B type elderly patients, whereas luminal A type elderly patients do not benefit from radiotherapy.Without radiotherapy, luminal A type patients have better DFS and OS than luminal B type patients.

Hormonal therapy might be a better choice as maintenance treatment than capecitabine after response to first-line capecitabine-based combination chemotherapy for patients with hormone receptor-positive and HER2-negative,metastatic breast cancer

Background:Both hormonal therapy(HT) and maintenance capecitabine monotherapy(MCT) have been shown to extend time to progression(TTP) in patients with metastatic breast cancer(MBC) after failure of taxanes and anthracycline?containing regimens.However,no clinical trials have directly compared the efficacy of MCT and HT after response to first?line capecitabine?based combination chemotherapy(FCCT) in patients with hormone receptor(HR)?positive and human epidermal growth factor receptor 2(HER2)?negative breast cancer.Methods:We retrospectively analyzed the charts of 138 HR?positive and HER2?negative MBC patients who were in non?progression status after FCCT and who were treated between 2003 and 2012 at the Cancer Institute and Hospital,Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences,in Beijing,China.The median number of first?line chemotherapy cycles was 6(range,4–8);combined agents included taxanes,vinorelbine,or gemcitabine.Of these 138 patients,79 received MCT,and 59 received HT.Single?agent capecitabine was administered at a dose of 1250 mg/m2 twice daily for 14 days,followed by a 7?day rest period,repeated every 3 weeks.Of the 59 patients who received HT,37 received aromatase inhibitors(AIs),8 received selective estrogen receptor modulators(SERMs),and 14 received goserelin plus either AIs or SERMs.We then compared the MCT group and HT group in terms of treatment efficacy.Results:With a median follow?up of 43 months,patients in the HT group had a much longer TTP than patients in the MCT group(13 vs.8 months,P ease?free surviv= 0.011).When TTP was adjusted for age,menopausal status,Karnofsky performance status score,disal,site of metastasis,number of metastatic sites,and response status after FCCT,extended TTP was still observed for patients in the HT group(hazard ratio:0.63;95% confidence interval:0.44–0.93;P = 0.020).We also observed a trend of overall survival advantage for patients in the HT group vs.patients in the MCT group,but the difference was not significant(43 vs.37 months,P tients in the MCT g= 0.400).In addition,patients in the HT group gen?erally tolerated the treatment well,whereas paroup experienced grades 3–4 adverse events,the most frequent of which were hand?foot syndrome(15.8%) and hematologic abnormalities(7.6%).Conclusion:For HR?positive and HER2?negative MBC patients,HT might be considered a treatment after response to FCCT but prior to MCT as a long?term administration.

Sonographic assessment of carotid artery in postmenopausal women receiving long-term low-dose hormone replacement therapy

Objective: The aim of this study was to determine the influence of long-term low-dose hor mone replacement therapy (HRT) on the intima-media wall of the carotid artery in postmenopa usal women by ultrasound.Methods: 146 postmenopausal women were divided into the HRT group(n= 68, HRT over 5years after menopause) and the control group(n= 78, no HRT). The intima-media thickness (IMT) of the carotid arteries was measured bilaterally, the characteristics of the atherosclerotic plaques were described, the peak systolic velocity (PSV) and resistance index (RI) were measured by ultrasound examination.Results: The IMT of HRT group was significantly smaller than that of the control group,(0. 089±0. 22) cm vs (0. 093±0.29) cm, (P＜0. 01). The occurrence of plaques was reduced in HRT group than the control group (7.7% vs 12.7%, P＜0. 05). The plaques were most frequently found at the bifurcation of the arteries. The soft and mixed plaques in HRT group were found significantly less than that of the control group (soft 1.7% vs 4. 5%, mixed 3.1% vs 6. 7%, both P＜0.05), while the hard plaques in HRT group were more than those of the control group(2.6% vs 1.3%, P＜0. 05). The maximum plaque thickness of HRT group was less than that of control group (0. 191±0. 057) cm vs (0. 226±0. 073) cm, (P＜0.05). The internal carotid artery PSV and RI in the two groups were similar [PSV (65.61±26.55) cm/s vs (64.82±27. 22) cm/s, RI (0.67±0. 082) vs (0. 68±0. 075), both P＞0.05].Conclusion: Our study indicated that HRT may has an effect to reduce the carotid IMT thickness, inhibit the plaque formation, and make the plaques harder and more stable. The long-term low-dose HRT may protect the postmenopausal women against the artherosclerosis of the carotid artery.

Effect of Hormone Replacement Therapy on Serum Complement (C3, C4) and Immunoglobulin (IgG, IgM) Levels in Post-menopausal Women

Serum C3, C4, IgG and IgM levels were evaluated in healthy post-menopausal women receiving short-term hormone replacement therapy （HRT） regimens and in untreated women. Serum C3, C4, IgM and IgG levels were assessed in 54 women receiving HRT therapy （CEE 0.625 mg＋MPA 2.5 mg/day）, and in 54 control women not receiving HRT. The results showed that the mean serum C3 and C4 levels were significantly higher in women receiving HRT than those untreated women （P〈0.01）. There was significant difference in IgG and IgM levels between two groups. It was concluded that HRT might be involved in the development of cardiovascular diseases through inflammatory mechanisms, as suggested by increased serum levels of C3 and C4.

Growth hormone therapy for children with KBG syndrome:A case report and review of literature

BACKGROUND The incidence of short stature in KBG syndrome is relatively high.Data on the therapeutic effects of growth hormone(GH)on children with KBG syndrome accompanied by short stature in the previous literature has not been summarized.CASE SUMMARY Here we studied a girl with KBG syndrome and collected the data of children with KBG syndrome accompanied by short stature from previous studies before and after GH therapy.The girl was referred to our department because of short stature.Physical examination revealed mild dysmorphic features.The peak GH responses to arginine and clonidine were 6.22 and 5.40 ng/mL,respectively.The level of insulin-like growth factor 1(IGF-1)was 42.0 ng/mL.Genetic analysis showed a c.2635 dupG(p.Glu879fs)mutation in the ANKRD11 gene.She received GH therapy.During the first year of GH therapy,her height increased by 0.92 standard deviation score(SDS).Her height increased from-1.95 SDS to-0.70 SDS after two years of GH therapy.There were ten children with KBG syndrome accompanied by short stature who received GH therapy in reported cases.Height SDS was improved in nine(9/10)of them.The mean height SDS in five children with KBG syndrome accompanied by short stature increased from-2.72±0.44 to-1.95±0.57 after the first year of GH therapy(P=0.001).There were no adverse reactions reported after GH treatment.CONCLUSION GH treatment is effective in our girl and most children with KBG syndrome accompanied by short stature during the first year of therapy.

Effects of menopausal hormone therapy-based on the role of estrogens,progestogens,and their metabolites in proliferation of breast cancer cells

Menopausal hormone therapy(MHT)has been widely used for the clinical treatment of symptoms associated with menopause in women.However,the exact nature of the relationship between MHT and the increased risk of breast cancer has not been fully elucidated.The results of the Women’s Health Initiative’s randomized controlled clinical studies showed that estrogen monotherapy was associated with a lower incidence of breast cancer as compared to estrogen-progesterone combined therapy,with an elevated risk of breast cancer.The evidence currently available from randomized trials and observational studies is based on data from different populations,drug formulations,and routes of administration.Even though the risks of MHT and breast cancer have received a great deal of attention,information regarding the unpredictable toxicological risks of estrogen and progestogen metabolism needs to be further analyzed.Furthermore,the diversity and complexity of the metabolic pathways of estrogen and different progestogens as well as the association of the different estrogen and progestogen metabolites with the increased risk of breast cancer need to be adequately studied.Therefore,this review aimed to describe the biological effects of estrogen,progesterone,and their metabolites on the proliferation of breast cancer cells,based on relevant basic research and clinical trials,to improve our understanding of the biological functions of estrogen and progestogen as well as the safety of MHT.

Effects of Religious vs. Conventional Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy on Inflammatory Markers and Stress Hormones in Major Depression and Chronic Medical Illness: A Randomized Clinical Trial

Background: Depressive disorder is often accompanied by physiological changes that may adversely affect the course of medical illness, including an increase in pro-inflammatory cytokines. Methods: We examine the effects of religious cognitive behavioral therapy (RCBT) vs. conventional CBT (CCBT) on pro-/anti-inflammatory indicators and stress hormones in 132 individuals with major depressive disorder (MDD) and chronic medical illness who were recruited into a multi-site randomized clinical trial. Biomarkers (C-reactive protein and pro-inflammatory cytokines TNF-α, IL-1β, IFN-γ, IL-6, IL-12-p70), anti-inflammatory cytokines (IL1ra, IL-4, IL-10), and stress hormones (urinary cortisol, epinephrine, norepinephrine) were assessed at baseline, 12 weeks, and 24 weeks. Differential effects of baseline religiosity on treatment response were also examined, along with effects of religiosity on changes in biomarkers over time independent of treatment group. Biomarker levels were log transformed where possible to normalize distributions. Mixed models were used to examine trajectories of change. Results: CRP increased and IL-4, IL-10, and epinephrine decreased over time, mostly in the opposite direction expected (except epinephrine). No significant difference between RCBT and CCBT was found on average trajectory of change in any biomarkers. Religiosity interacted with treatment group in effects on IL-6, such that CCBT was more effective than RCBT in lowering lL-6 in those with low religiosity whereas RCBT appeared to be more effective than CCBT in those with high religiosity. Higher baseline religiosity also tended to predict an increase in pro-inflammatory cytokines INF-γ and IL-12 (p70) and urinary cortisol over time. Conclusions: RCBT and CCBT had similar effects on stress biomarkers. CCBT was more effective in reducing IL-6 levels in those with low religiosity, whereas RCBT tended to be more effective in those with high religiosity. Unexpectedly, higher baseline religiosity was associated with an increase in several stress biomarkers.

Prevalence of hypothyroidism and effect of thyroid hormone replacement therapy in patients with non-alcoholic fatty liver disease:A population-based study

BACKGROUND Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease(NAFLD)is currently considered as the most common cause of chronic liver disease worldwide.Risk factors for NAFLD have been well-described,including obesity,type 2 diabetes mellites(T2DM),dyslipidemia(DLP)and metabolic syndrome.Hypothyroidism has been identified as an independent risk factor for the development of NAFLD,although the literature is inconsistent AIM To evaluate the prevalence of hypothyroidism in patients with NAFLD,assess if it is an independent risk factor and explore the effect of thyroxine replacement therapy.METHODS Our cohort’s data was obtained using a validated,large,multicenter database(Explorys Inc,Cleveland,OH,United States)aggregated from pooled outpatient and inpatient records of 26 different healthcare systems,consisting of a total of 360 hospitals in the United States,and utilizing Systematized Nomenclature of Medicine-Clinical Terms for coding.We evaluated a cohort of patients with hypothyroidism and NAFLD.Multivariate analysis was performed to adjust for confounding risk factors including hypertension(HTN),T2DM,DLP,obesity and metabolic syndrome.SPSS version 25,IBM Corp was used for statistical analysis,and for all analyses,a 2-sided P value of<0.05 was considered statistically significant.Exclusion criteria were limited to age<18 years.RESULTS Among the 37648180 included individuals in this database who are above the age of 18 years,there were a total of 2320 patients with NAFLD(6.16 per 100000)in the last five years(2015-2020),amongst which 520 patients(22.4%)had hypothyroidism.Baseline characteristics of patients in this database are described in Table 1.Patients with NAFLD were also more likely to have obesity,T2DM,DLP,HTN,and metabolic syndrome(Table 2).While males and females were equally affected,patients in the age group 18-65 years as well as Caucasians seem to be at a higher risk.There was an increased risk of NAFLD among patients with hypothyroidism(OR=1.587).Furthermore,thyroid hormone replacement was not associated with a decreased risk for developing NAFLD(OR=1.106,C=0.952-1.285,P=0.303).CONCLUSION Hypothyroidism seems to be an independent risk factor for the development of NAFLD.Thyroid hormone replacement did not provide a statistically significant risk reduction.Further studies are needed to evaluate the effect of thyroid hormone replacement and assess if being euthyroid while on thyroid replacement therapy affects development and/or progression of NAFLD.

Bone flare after initiation of novel hormonal therapy in patients with metastatic hormone-sensitive prostate cancer:A case report

BACKGROUND The 2020 European Association of Urology prostate cancer guidelines recommend androgen deprivation therapy(ADT)in combination with apalutamide and enzalutamide,a new generation of androgen receptor antagonists,as first-line therapy.A decrease in prostate-specific antigen(PSA)levels may occur in the early stages of novel hormonal therapy;however,radionuclide bone imaging may suggest disease progression.During follow-up,PSA,radionuclide bone imaging,and prostate-specific membrane antigen(PSMA)positron emission tomography–computed tomography(PET-CT)are needed for systematic evaluation.CASE SUMMARY We admitted a 56-year-old male patient with metastatic hormone-sensitive prostate cancer.Initial radionuclide bone imaging,magnetic resonance imaging(MRI),and PSMA PET-CT showed prostate cancer with multiple bone metastases.Ultrasound-guided needle biopsy of the prostate revealed a poorly differentiated adenocarcinoma of the prostate with a Gleason score:5+4=9.The final diagnosis was a prostate adenocarcinoma(T4N1M1).ADT with novel hormonal therapy(goseraline sustained-release implant 3.6 mg monthly and apalutamide 240 mg daily)was commenced.Three months later,radionuclide bone imaging and MRI revealed advanced bone metastasis.However,PSMA PET-CT examination showed a significant reduction in PSMA aggregation on the bone,indicating improved bone metastases.Considering that progressive decrease in the presenting lumbar pain,treatment strategies were considered to be effective.CONCLUSION ADT using novel hormonal therapy is effective for treating patients with prostate adenocarcinoma.Careful evaluation must precede treatment plan changes.

Preclinical therapy of benign prostatic hyperplasia with neuropeptide hormone antagonists

Benign prostatic hyperplasia(BPH)is a pathologic condition of the prostate described as a substantial increase in its number of epithelial and stromal cells.BPH may significantly reduce the quality of life due to the initiation of bladder outlet obstruction and lower urinary tract syndromes.Current medical therapies mostly consist of inhibitors of 5α-reductase orα1-adrenergic blockers;their efficacy is often insufficient.Antagonistic analogs of neuropeptide hormones are novel candidates for the management of BPH.At first,antagonists of luteinizing hormone-releasing hormone(LHRH)have been introduced to the therapy aimed to reduce serum testosterone levels.However,they have also been found to produce an inhibitory activity on local LHRH receptors in the prostate as well as impotence and other related side effects.Since then,several preclinical and clinical studies reported the favorable effects of LHRH antagonists in BPH.In contrast,antagonists of growth hormone-releasing hormone(GHRH)and gastrin-releasing peptide(GRP)have been tested only in preclinical settings and produce significant reduction in prostate size in experimental models of BPH.They act at least in part,by blocking the action of respective ligands produced locally on prostates through their respective receptors in the prostate,and by inhibition of autocrine insulin-like growth factors-Ⅰ/Ⅱand epidermal growth factor production.GHRH and LHRH antagonists were also tested in combination resulting in a cumulative effect that was greater than that of each alone.This article will review the numerous studies that demonstrate the beneficial effects of antagonistic analogs of LHRH,GHRH and GRP in BPH,as well as suggesting a potential role for somatostatin analogs in experimental therapies.

Recurrent epithelial ovarian cancer and hormone therapy

The role of hormone therapy in the treatment of ovarian cancer is not clear. Data on the efficacy and safety of antiestrogens and aromatase inhibitors in recurrent ovarian cancer have been accumulated through phase Ⅱ clinical studies. Most of these studies were conducted in platinum-resistant recurrent ovarian cancer, and although complete response rates were not high, reported adverse events were low. If administered to patients who are positive for estrogen receptors, hormone therapy may become a viable option for the treatment of recurrent ovarian cancer.

Effects of hormone replacement therapy on endothelial function in menopausal women

Objective To observe the effects of hormone replacement therapy (HRT) on endothelial function in menopausal women. Methods A total of 30 menopausal women were treated with 2.5 mg of Tibolone (Livial) daily. At the same time,30 women with natural menopause without any treatment served as the control group. Endothelium-dependent (EDD),endothelium-independent (NID) vasodilatation function,and estradiol (E2) were examined by the non-invasive high-resolution ultrasonography before the treatment and at 12th,24th,36th and 48th week of treatment,respectively. Results After hormone treatment,E2 increased significantly and EDD was improved significantly (P<0.05),and E2 was positively related with EDD (r=0.8092,P<0.001). No change of EDD was observed in the control group whereas a significant increase was observed in the treatment group. Conclusion Endothelium-dependent vasodilatation dysfunction is prominent in menopausal women. Tibolone can help improve the condition.

Experimental study on effect of recombinant human growth hormone combined with chemotherapy on stomach neoplasms implanted in nude mice

Objective: To investigate the effect of different doses of recombined growth hormone (rhGH) on stomach neo- plasms implanted in nude mice, and its efficacy in combining with chemotherapy (flurouracil, 5-FU). Methods: Human stom- ach neoplasms model was established in nude mice. The nude mice were divided into control group, moderate-dose of rhGH group, low-dose rhGH group, 5-FU group, moderate-dose rhGH/5-FU group, and low-dose rhGH/5-FU group. The results of each group were observed after ten days. Results: After therapy, the body mass of rhGH groups was significantly increased compared with control group (P<0.05), the body mass of rhGH/5-FU groups was significantly increased compared with 5-FU group (P<0.05), but it was no significant difference between rhGH/5-FU groups and control group (P>0.05). The average tumor mass and volume of rhGH groups were not significantly increased compared with control group (P>0.05), but they were significantly reduced in 5-FU group and rhGH/5-FU groups (P<0.05). They were no significant difference between rhGH/5- FU groups and 5-FU group (P>0.05). After treatment, the percentages of S, G0/G1 and G2/M phases and proliferation index (PI) were not significantly changed in rhGH groups compared with control group (P>0.05), and the same with rhGH/5-FU groups compared with 5-FU group (P>0.05). The difference caused by dose of rhGH was not significant. Conclusion: rhGH enhances body mass, does not stimulate tumor growth, and has no adverse effects on tumor bearing nude mice. Combined with flurouracil, rhGH does not influence the efficacy of chemotherapy, and has no effect on tumor cell cycle kinetics.

Growth Hormone Replacement Therapy in Adult Growth Hormone Deficiency and Risk of Cancer: A Meta-Analysis

The growth hormone (GH) replacement therapy in adult growth hormone deficiency (AGHD) is now well developed, nevertheless, the safety of GH replacement, especially the incidence of cancer in these patients remains to be further clarified. To summarize the evidence on the safety of using GH in AGHD, we conduct this meta-analysis to assess the relationship between the risk of cancer and GH replacement therapy. Randomized controlled trials and cohort studies involved in GH therapy for AGHD were selected. Meta-analysis was performed and risk ratio (RR) was pooled with 95% confidence interval (CI) to investigate the relationship between GH replacement and the risk of cancer. The result indicated that there was no evidence to draw a conclusion that GH replacement therapy will increase the risk of cancer (P = 0.001, RR = 0.77, 95% CI [0.65, 0.90]). Meanwhile, according to the calculated analysis, the replacement therapy might even reduce the risk of cancer. Furthermore, subgroup analysis demonstrated that there was no correlation between replacement therapy of GH and the risk of cancer both in prospective and retrospective cohort design research, and in prospective group, the risk of cancer even decreased (P = 0.0002, RR = 0.71, 95%CI [0.59, 0.85]). In conclusion, our study corroborates evidence from previous studies showing that GH replacement therapy in AGHD patients would not increase the risk of cancer;instead, it might be even decrease cancer risk. The results suggested that GH replacement therapy in AGHD patients was safe.