Review of major adverse effects of androgen-deprivation therapy in men with prostate cancer.
June 18th, 2009 Posted in hormone therapyResearchers at University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston have conducted a careful literature review focused on the skeletal and cardiovascular adverse reactions to ADT (as opposed to such expected effects as loss of libido, sexual dysfunction, sweating and hot flashes, etc.).
According to their review men who underwent ADT for prostate cancer had an increased risk of overall fracture of 23 percent compared with men who had prostate cancer but who did not undergo ADT. Furthermore, men who underwent ADT had a 17 percent increase in cardiovascular-related mortality compared with men who did not undergo with ADT. Significant elevations in the risk of diabetes also were observed from two large studies.
Besides skeletal fracture risk, ADT was associated with an increased risk of incident diabetes, and cardiovascular-related mortality, although the absolute risk of these events was low.
According to researchers opinion, preventive measures against these adverse effects and careful assessment of patient’s baseline health status should be considered.