Histrelin is a medication that alters hormone production in the body. These effects can be beneficial for children who are experiencing the onset of puberty abnormally early, and can also help slow the progress of prostate cancer. As the hormonal treatment typically needs to be over the longterm, histrelin comes in an implant form that can deliver regular doses over time.
In healthy people, a complex regulation system is present in the body to control appropriate levels of hormone. Histrelin is a substance that acts in the same way as a natural hormone in this regulatory system. Modeled on a substance that the brain's hypothalamus gland produces, histrelin performs its action on the brain. This action is to tell the brain to lower the blood concentration of male and female hormones like estrogen and testosterone.
Kids who have a condition called Central Precocious Puberty (CPP) develop unsually early into adolescence, and have abnormal hormone concentrations. Normally, children from about the age of 11 years begin producing male or female hormones which signal to the body to produce adult characteristics such as breasts, pubic hair and changes in body shape. Kids who have CPP can be treated with histrelin, as this medication can help reverse the production of sex hormones and slow the onset of puberty.
Men with prostate cancer may also receive histrelin as part of their treatment. Although the medicine does not cure the cancer, the reduction in hormone level can slow down the growth of the cancer, and thus make the symptoms of the illness more comfortable. For both pediatric and adult use, the medication comes as an implant.
Doctors insert the implant under the skin of the patient, in an area such as the inner side of the arm. The procedure involves only a small incision, and the implant can stay in place for up to a year. After this time, it may need to be replaced as the medicine inside runs out. Some patients may experience side effects from the medication, which are commonly associated with either the location of the implant or the bodily effects associated with the resultant hormone changes.
Examples of problems at the insertion site include irritated skin, soreness and itchiness. The incision may also result in a scar, although this may not be obvious at the chosen site. Female patients can have bleeding from the vagina or a change in breast size. Male patients may see changes in the size of the testicles, and problems having sexual intercourse. Abnormal feelings of heat, called hot flashes, are also possible.