Of late, hormonal therapy for prostate cancer, also called as androgen deprivation therapy (ADT), is being used in an increasing number of patients. This, however, is a rather disturbing trend, and may even prove dangerous, as a new study has found out. The study, published in the online issue of the journal Cancer on November 9, 2011 has found that ADT is associated with a higher incidence of blood clots in the vessels, with 25% of them landing in the hospital with some complication.
When originally introduced, hormonal therapy was limited to be used in patients where the cancer had spread to the other body parts. It was also used in adjunction with radiation therapy in patients, who were suffering from a high risk cancer with an increased chance of metastasis. But of late, many physicians have started used hormonal therapy as the first line of treatment in new cases of prostate cancer, where the disease has not spread beyond the prostate gland.
As per the data provided by the National Cancer Institute, 190,000 men in the U. S. were diagnosed with prostate cancer in 2009. More than 50% of them were found to have a low risk cancer which is more likely to remain confined to the gland. Using hormonal therapy to treat the cancer in such patients has more risks compared to the benefits that the therapy has to offer.
The researchers for the present study, led by Dr. Behfar Ehdai examined the treatment pattern of 154,611 patients diagnosed with prostate cancer. It was seen that 38% of these patients received ADT. 15% of the men taking ADT developed blood clots in their vessels, compared to 7% men who did not receive ADT. Besides clots, patients on ADT also suffered from weight gain, hot flashes, erectile dysfunction, and thinning of bones. In view, of these findings, the researchers have advised both the patients and the physicians, not to resort to ADT unless the condition clearly warrants its use.
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