Living with the effects of hormone therapy for prostate cancer
Yes, some people notice changes to how they think and remember after hormone therapy for prostate cancer.
It can help to keep a diary and write down everything you need to do each day.
can cause different side effects. This includes problems with concentration, thinking and memory.
Yes, some people notice changes to how they think and remember after hormone therapy for prostate cancer.
It can help to keep a diary and write down everything you need to do each day.
Some cancer treatments can lower the levels of sex hormones in the body. The sex hormones are oestrogen and progesterone in women, and testosterone in men. The cancer treatments include hormone therapy for prostate cancer.
Prostate cancer needs testosterone to grow. Hormonal therapy aims to stop:
the testicles from making testosterone
testosterone from reaching cancer cells
Find out more about hormone therapy for prostate cancer
Memory and the way we process information are called cognition. Cognitive ability describes how well you can remember and concentrate. This includes how you manage to do more than one task at the same time.
Some people notice changes in how they think and remember after hormone treatment for prostate cancer. It may not affect you every day. You may forget a word during a sentence or struggle to remember a shopping list.
Doctors call this mild cognitive impairment. You may hear it described as ‘chemo brain’, or a general ‘fogginess’. It doesn’t only happen after chemotherapy. It can also be a side effect of hormone therapy.
For many people, the changes are very subtle.
Researchers are still trying to find out more about how hormone treatment affects memory.
There are things that you can do that may help you cope better with these changes:
Keep a diary or calendar to help you remember what you need to do each day.
Write lists of jobs to do, things to buy or where you keep things you use every day.
Use post-it notes to remind you to do tasks.
Write down people's names with a description to remember them.
Repeat information back to people to check understanding.
Keep your mind active, you could try crosswords, sudoku or puzzles.
Avoid trying to do too many things at the same time.
Aim to get a good night's sleep and rest in the day when you need to. Try to avoid becoming overtired.
Try to exercise each day if possible, this can help you to sleep and lift your mood.
Follow a balanced diet.
Stay connected with others such as family, friends and your local community.
Mood changes or a poor sleep quality can affect how clear your mind is. Speak to a healthcare professional if you struggle with this. They can offer support or refer you to a specialist.
Researchers are looking at how cancer treatments affect thinking and memory. They are also looking into a number of treatments that may be helpful.
There are things you can do to help you cope and improve your symptoms.
Last reviewed: 13 Oct 2022
Next review due: 13 Oct 2025
Hormone therapy for prostate cancer can affect the levels of your hormones. This can cause different side effects including hot flushes, swollen breasts, sleep disturbances and weight changes.
Prostate cancer usually depends on testosterone to grow. Hormone therapy blocks or lowers the amount of testosterone in the body.
Get practical and emotional support to help you cope with a diagnosis of prostate cancer, and life during and after treatment.
Coping with prostate cancer can be difficult. There are things you can do and people who can help you to cope with a diagnosis of prostate cancer.
Prostate cancer is cancer that starts in the prostate gland. The prostate gland is found at the base of the bladder and is about the size of a walnut.
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