Testosterone is produced in the testes as a result of a hormone released by the pituitary gland in the brain. Pituitary down regulators are a type of prostate cancer drug used to prevent the pituitary gland from making this hormone. Pituitary down regulators are also referred to as luteinizing hormone releasing hormone (LHRH) agonists and gonadotrophin-releasing hormone analogues. This family of medications includes goserelin acetate (Zoladex), buserilin and histrelin (Vantas), and leuprorelin (Prostap). Pituitary down regulators are generally administered as an injection either as a pellet under the skin of the abdomen or as a liquid under the skin or into a muscle. During prostate cancer treatment, these injections are given either once a month or once every three months. If pituitary down regulators are administered with anti-androgen tablets, the combination therapy is called complete androgen blockade (CAB).
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