Hormone Therapy: Histories, Use, and Controversies Associated with Lower Urinary Tract Symptoms in Men and Menopause in Women

Research on hormone therapies has been evolving rapidly with controversy close behind. The first goal of this project was to investigate a controversy regarding testosterone replacement therapy treatment when associated with lower urinary tract symptoms. It was previously thought that testosterone replacement therapy would worsen lower urinary tract symptoms; however, it was found that mild or moderate symptoms were not worsened, measured using IPSS scores. It was discovered that there was a lack of data for severe symptoms and further research was recommended. The second goal of this project was to provide a clear and concise history of estrogen therapy for women in menopause. Controversies like the correlation of cancer and estrogen therapy were evaluated extensively. It was found that short-term use of estrogen therapy for post-menopausal women is best practice, while necessitating evaluation of risks and benefits with both physician and patient before initiation of treatment.