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leuprolide acetate

(LOO-proh-lide A-seh-tayt)
A drug used under the brand names Eligard and Lupron Depot to treat prostate cancer and under the brand name Lupron Depot to treat problems with the endometrium (lining of the uterus) and uterine fibroids (noncancerous growths of the uterus) . It is also being studied in the treatment of other conditions and types of cancer. Leuprolide acetate initially causes the pituitary gland to make more luteinizing hormone (LH) and follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH), temporarily increasing testosterone levels in men and estrogen levels in women. With continued use, leuprolide acetate lowers the amount of LH and FSH the pituitary gland releases, leading to a drop in testosterone levels in men and estrogen levels in women. Leuprolide acetate may stop the growth of cancer cells that need testosterone to grow and stop the growth of endometrial tissue and uterine fibroids. It is a type of hormone therapy called a gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH) agonist. Also called Eligard and Lupron Depot.
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