hormone therapy
Chemical messenger medicine
Hormone therapy is medical treatment using hormones to supplement, replace, or block the body's natural hormones.
It treats conditions from menopause symptoms to certain cancers.
For transgender individuals, hormone therapy induces physical changes aligned with gender identity—estrogen for trans women, testosterone for trans men.
Also called hormone replacement therapy (HRT) or, in transgender contexts, gender-affirming hormone therapy.
Female reproductive hormone
- testosteroneChief male sex hormone
- progesteroneOvarian steroid supporting gestation
- estradiolPrimary natural estrogen hormone
- bioidenticalMatching natural hormones exactly
HRT · menopause · andropause · hot flashes · osteoporosis · libido · hypogonadism · hysterectomy
Gender differs from assignment
- transitioningPassing from one state another
- feminizingMaking more womanly
- masculinizingInducing male characteristics
- blockersThings that obstruct
dysphoria · nonbinary · endocrinologist · informed consent · monitoring · bloodwork · changes · timeline
Hormone-producing neck gland
- insulinPancreatic glucose-regulating hormone
- cortisolAdrenal steroid regulating stress
- thyroxineThyroid-produced metabolic hormone
- levothyroxineSynthetic hormone medication
pituitary · adrenal · hypothyroidism · hyperthyroidism · diabetes · glucocorticoids · corticosteroids · prolactin
Malignant growth in mammary glands
- prostate cancerMale urogenital gland malignancy
- tamoxifenAnti-estrogen cancer medication
- aromatase inhibitorsEnzyme-blocking hormonal medications
- antiandrogensSubstances inhibiting masculine hormones
remission · oncologist · adjuvant · palliative · prognosis · survival rate
estrogen
Female reproductive hormone
- testosteroneChief male sex hormone
- progesteroneOvarian steroid supporting gestation
- estradiolPrimary natural estrogen hormone
bioidentical · HRT · menopause · andropause · hot flashes · osteoporosis · libido · hypogonadism · hysterectomy · ovaries
transgender
Gender differs from assignment
- transitioningPassing from one state another
- feminizingMaking more womanly
- masculinizingInducing male characteristics
blockers · dysphoria · nonbinary · endocrinologist · informed consent · monitoring · bloodwork · changes · timeline · reversibility
thyroid
Hormone-producing neck gland
- insulinPancreatic glucose-regulating hormone
- cortisolAdrenal steroid regulating stress
- thyroxineThyroid-produced metabolic hormone
levothyroxine · pituitary · adrenal · hypothyroidism · hyperthyroidism · diabetes · glucocorticoids · corticosteroids · prolactin · parathyroid
breast cancer
Malignant growth in mammary glands
- prostate cancerMale urogenital gland malignancy
- tamoxifenAnti-estrogen cancer medication
- aromatase inhibitorsEnzyme-blocking hormonal medications
antiandrogens · remission · oncologist · adjuvant · palliative · prognosis · survival rate
- LGBTQ+gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgender, queer
- cancer treatmentchemotherapy, immunotherapy, surgery, radiotherapy, cancer surgery
- cancer drugsmethotrexate, chemotherapy, chemo, tamoxifen, taxol
- transition proceduresvaginoplasty, orchiectomy, top surgery, gonadectomy, FFS
- gendergender, male, female, masculine, feminine
- medical caresurgery, examination, injection, prescription, medication
hormone therapysurgical intervention
Invasive medical procedure
surgery · radiation therapy · chemotherapy · physical therapy · psychotherapy
hormone therapychemical castration
Hormone therapy eliminating fertility
aromatase inhibitors · antiandrogens · puberty blockers · tamoxifen
hormone therapywatchful waiting
Monitoring before acting
letting nature take its course · natural aging · holistic medicine · lifestyle modification · observation