Sex Hormone and Disease

Question 1

What is the action of aromatase

Answer 1

make oestrogen from either androstenedione or testosterone

Question 2

What are the three oestrogens?

Answer 2

oestriol, oestrone, oestradiol

Question 3

What is the action of 5a-reductase?

Answer 3

convert testosterone to dihydrotestosterone

Question 4

What can ostrogen therapy be used for?

Answer 4

hypogonadism in children

In adults: amenorrhoea, contraceptive, menopause

Question 5

How does postmenopausal hormone therapy improve sleep?

Answer 5

It reliefs the flushes that may disturb sleep

Question 6

T/F Hormone therapy increases the risk of thromboembolism

Answer 6

True, especially oral contraceptives

Question 7

What is the mechanism of action for oestrogen

Answer 7

Binding to membrane receptor or directly crosses the membrane, then work as a steroid to up or downregulate genes

Question 8

T/F Progesterone binding will switch on oestrogen receptors

Answer 8

False, oestrogen receptor binding will switch on progesterone receptors to promote growth and differentiation

Question 9

What are the two partial agonists of oestrogen receptor

Answer 9

tamoxifen

raloxifene

Question 10

At which tissue is tamoxifen a oestrogen receptor antagonist.

Answer 10

breast and CNS

Question 11

At which tissue is raloxifene an agonist for oestrogen receptor

Answer 11

bone and CV tissue

Question 12

What is Tamoxifen used for?

Answer 12

palliative treatment of metastatic breast cancer and adjuvant after lumpectomy

Question 13

What are some adverse effects of tamoxifen?

Answer 13

endometrial hyperplasia/polyps/cancer
thromboembolic event 
thrombocytopenia
ocylar toxicity
menopausal symptoms

Question 14

What is the action of exemestane?

Answer 14

aromatase inhibitor to reduce oestrogen level

Question 15

What is exemestane used for?

Answer 15

also used to treat breast cancer

Question 16

What are some side effects of exemestane?

Answer 16

increased fracture risk and bone loss
increased arthralgia
poorer lipid profile + metabolic syndrome
menopausal signs

Question 17

What effect does androgen have on the body

Answer 17

anabolic and masculinising effects

Question 18

At which sites is dihydrotestosterone active?

Answer 18

prostate, seminal vesicles, epididymus and skin

Question 19

What is the therapeutic use of androgen

Answer 19

hypogonadism for male 
senile osteoporosis 
speed recovery from surgery 
dwarfism 
endometriosis

Question 20

How does androgen help with endometriosis?

Answer 20

it helps to reduce pain and inflammation, and also produce local oestrogen to restore hormonal balance

Question 21

What is use of cyproterone?

Answer 21

It’s a steroidal antagonist, used for prostate cancer, androgenisation in females

Question 22

What are the adverse effect of cyproterone?

Answer 22

cognitive changes, fatigue, oedema, reduced spermatogenesis

Question 23

How is flutamide different to cyproterone?

Answer 23

It’s non-steroidal, selectively block receptors in the prostate

Question 24

What is the use of flutamide?

Answer 24

metastatic prostate cancer

Question 25

What is finasteride?

Answer 25

5a-reductase inhibitor

Question 26

What is finasteride used for?

Answer 26

benign prostatic hypertrophy and hair loss

Question 27

Why does finasteride drive breast enlargement?

Answer 27

It drives the conversion of excess testosterone to oestrogen