[Gonadotropin-releasing hormone analogues in the treatment of metastatic breast carcinoma].

The recent data about the treatment of advanced breast cancer patients with synthetic LH-RH analogues are presented. Although synthetized 20 years ago, the agonistic analogues of LH-RH were introduced in clinical oncology recently. The inhibition of pituitary and gonadal function that occurs after chronic administration of agonists of LH-RH, with the creation of a sex steroid deprivation and elimination of stimulatory effects of oestrogen or testosterone, is the basis for their application in oncology. In advanced breast cancer patients they successfully replace surgical or radiological castration. The main advantage of medical castration is reversibility. However, the discovery of the specific LH-RH receptors effect on mammary tumor membranes as well as on some other tumor cells, suggested the possible direct antitumor effect of LH-RH agonists. This finding enlarge the oncological application of LH-RH agonistic analogues.