Hormone therapy primarily targets which aspect of cancer cells?

Hormone therapy is primarily focused on disrupting the processes that regulate the growth of certain types of cancer cells, specifically those that are hormone-sensitive, such as breast and prostate cancers. This form of treatment alters the body's hormonal environment to inhibit the growth and proliferation of these cells.

The correct choice, focusing on protein growth regulation, highlights the importance of hormones in controlling cell division and overall growth within tumors. Hormones like estrogen and testosterone can stimulate cancer cell growth in hormone-sensitive cancers; therefore, by blocking these hormones or their effects, hormone therapy effectively slows down or stops the progression of the disease.

In contrast, the other options do not capture the primary mechanism of action for hormone therapy. While amino acid production, cellular energy levels, and cell membrane integrity play roles in cellular function, they are not the direct targets of hormone therapy aimed at cancer treatment. Instead, hormone therapy specifically intervenes in the regulatory pathways that control cell growth driven by certain hormones.