Prostate Cancer Therapy May Up Heart Risks

Androgen deprivation therapy, a common treatment for prostate cancer that works by cutting the production of male sex hormones that aid cancer growth, may increase risks of diabetes, heart attack, and other cardiovascular problems, according to a new study. The lead author, Dr. Nancy L. Keating of Harvard Medical School, says the new findings should change the way doctors treat their patients with prostate cancer: "We're not suggesting that men who need hormone deprivation therapy should not have it. But lots of men get the therapy where it has not been shown to have a benefit," she said. Certain types of prostate cancer have never been shown to benefit from androgen therapy, she pointed out, but a large portion of men still receive the therapy. "When you have potentially serious adverse effects, you want to show caution," she told reporters.