Estrogen deprivation therapy

When a person has a body with a uterus and ovaries, they make something called estrogen. Estrogen helps the body do its job, like growing, puberty, and having babies. Sometimes, people get sick with something called breast cancer. This is when some cells in the breast don't act the way they're supposed to and start to grow and divide too much.

To help people with breast cancer, doctors may give them something called estrogen deprivation therapy. This means they give the person a medicine that stops the body from making estrogen. Without estrogen, the cancer cells have a harder time growing and dividing.

The medicine for estrogen deprivation therapy can come in different forms, like pills or injections. Some people may have side effects from the medicine, like hot flashes and trouble sleeping. But, it's very helpful for treating some types of breast cancer.