Which type of cancer is commonly treated with hormonal therapy?

Breast cancer is commonly treated with hormonal therapy due to the important role that hormones, specifically estrogen and progesterone, play in the growth of certain types of breast tumors. Many breast cancers are classified as hormone receptor-positive, meaning that the cancer cells have receptors for these hormones, and their growth is stimulated by them. Hormonal therapies, such as selective estrogen receptor modulators (SERMs) like tamoxifen, or aromatase inhibitors, work by blocking the effects of estrogen or reducing its production in the body. This treatment can effectively slow down or even shrink tumors in patients with hormone receptor-positive breast cancer.

Melanoma, lung cancer, and colorectal cancer, while they can have various treatment options, are not typically managed with hormonal therapy in the same way that breast cancer is. Instead, these cancers often rely on surgical interventions, chemotherapy, targeted therapies, or immunotherapy based on their unique biological characteristics. Hormonal therapy has a more defined and effective application in the context of hormone receptor-positive breast cancer, highlighting its critical role in managing this specific cancer type.