ADT Use for Prostate Cancer Linked to Increased Risk for CVD Death

FRIDAY, July 29, 2022 (HealthDay News) -- For patients with prostate cancer, use of androgen-deprivation therapy (ADT) is associated with an increased risk for cardiovascular disease (CVD) death, according to a study published online July 26 in The Aging Male.

Justinas Jonusas, from the National Cancer Institute in Vilnius, Lithuania, and colleagues examined the risk for CVD mortality in a retrospective cohort study of patients aged 40 to 79 years diagnosed with prostate cancer between Jan. 1, 2012, and Dec. 31, 2016. The final cohort included 13,343 prostate cancer patients who exclusively used gonadotropin-releasing hormone agonists.

The researchers found that compared with ADT nonusers, patients treated with ADT had an increased risk for CVD death (hazard ratio, 2.14). Furthermore, ADT users had increased risks for death from ischemic heart disease and stroke (hazard ratios, 1.42 and 1.70, respectively). The risk for CVD-related mortality was higher among ADT users aged 70 to 79 years (hazard ratio, 4.78).

"Hormone therapy is often used for patients with prostate cancer, but more research is now needed to gain a better understanding of the overall risks and benefits of this treatment," Jonusas said in a statement. "Our results suggest clinicians should consider risk reduction and mitigation strategies for cardiovascular disease when developing a treatment plan for men diagnosed with prostate cancer, particularly for older patients."

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