Estrogen patch shows promise for prostate cancer

NEW YORK (Reuters Health) - A patch that delivers estrogen through the skin may prove useful in treating advanced cases of prostate cancer, preliminary research suggests. In a study of 13 prostate cancer patients who were given the Fem7 estrogen patch, UK researchers found that the therapy substantially lowered the men's testosterone levels. Because testosterone helps fuel the growth and spread of prostate tumors, men with more-advanced prostate cancer commonly receive drugs called LHRH analogues that block the body's production of the hormone. However, these drugs can also have side effects, including osteoporosis and heart problems. Estrogen patches have the potential to lower testosterone levels with a lesser risk of such side effects, according to the researchers on the new study, led by Dr. Ruth E. Langley of Imperial... [read full story]