Goserelin
A depot GnRH agonist; same flare-then-suppression mechanism as leuprolide.
Also known as Zoladex.
The same inversion in depot form: continuous stimulation as a means of suppression, delivered on a schedule a body can keep.
Identity
- Class
- GnRH receptor agonist (decapeptide analog)
- Source
- Synthetic analog of GnRH
- Receptor
- GnRH receptor (GnRHR)
Key properties
Evidence floorClinicalREF1CLIN1Approximate values for the native hormone; engineered analogs are often deliberately larger and far longer-acting. Each figure carries its own provenance tier, and the floor is the weakest of them - the Standard.
Mechanism
Goserelin is a GnRH agonist delivered as a slow-release implant. Like other agonists, continuous exposure desensitizes the GnRH receptor after an initial flare, producing sustained suppression of the gonadotropins and downstream sex steroids.
Reference notes
- Delivered as a subcutaneous depot implant for steady, long-term exposure.
- Shares the agonist flare-then-desensitization mechanism with leuprolide.
- Illustrates the pulsatility principle: continuous GnRH signaling suppresses the axis.
Common questions
- What is Goserelin?
- A depot GnRH agonist; same flare-then-suppression mechanism as leuprolide. Structurally it is GnRH receptor agonist (decapeptide analog).
- How does Goserelin work?
- Goserelin is a GnRH agonist delivered as a slow-release implant. Like other agonists, continuous exposure desensitizes the GnRH receptor after an initial flare, producing sustained suppression of the gonadotropins and downstream sex steroids.
- How strong is the evidence for Goserelin?
- PeptideHormone grades Goserelin at the "Established" evidence tier — its mechanism and core effects are settled across the peer-reviewed literature. It is catalogued as an engineered analog built on an endogenous hormone, and the tier is an editorial judgment about the public literature that can change as the science does.
- What is the half-life of Goserelin?
- The reported circulating half-life of Goserelin is ~4–5 h (implant depot).
- Is Goserelin the same as Zoladex?
- Zoladex is a brand name of Goserelin — the same molecule in different approved presentations. This page is the molecule reference, not a prescribing guide.
Selected literature
Curated peer-reviewed reviews, sourced from PubMed. Selected for relevance, not exhaustive — open any entry on PubMed for the full record and its primary citations.
- 1.Goserelin · , 2012 · PMID 31644049
- 2.Aromatase inhibitors versus tamoxifen in premenopausal women with oestrogen receptor-positive early-stage breast cancer treated with ovarian suppression: a patient-level meta-analysis of 7030 women from four randomised trials · The Lancet. Oncology, 2022 · PMID 35123662
External references
Goserelin in the public knowledge graph — the same entity resolved across the authoritative chemistry and protein databases.