ADT has many uses. It can be used in men with advanced disease, where the cancer has spread from the confines of the prostate to other parts of the body. In this situation, it can immediately decrease pain from spread of prostate cancer to the bones and can delay the progression of the prostate cancer. It can also be used in association with EBRT or High Dose Brachytherapy to increase the benefits of the radiotherapy and in low dose rate brachytherapy to shrink the size of the prostate.

For patients with advanced or metastatic prostate cancer, hormone therapy can be taken continuously or intermittently. Continuous hormone therapy is regarded by most doctors as the most favourable option. For some men, the side effects of hormone therapy are very significant and to minimise these side effects the hormone therapy is given intermittently so that there are some periods, when patients don’t have any side effects and their quality of life improves. It is not clear if intermittent hormone therapy is as effective as continuous hormone therapy.

Prior to hormone therapy commencing, patients usually have a bone scan, a bone mineral density test and routine blood and urine tests.