Health
Prostate Cancer Hormonal Therapy Tied to Kidney Risks
(Reuters Health) – Men who are treated for prostate cancer with hormone-targeted therapy have a higher risk of developing kidney problems, a new study suggests.
The treatment, known as androgen deprivation therapy, lowers the risk of death among men with advanced, aggressive prostate cancer.
However, researchers said it’s increasingly being used to treat possible recurrences among men with less advanced disease – for whom the benefits are less clear, and the risks more worrisome.
“Our study does raise the concern that perhaps we should be more careful in prescribing androgen deprivation therapy in patients who do not have the clear indication for it,” said Laurent Azoulay, who worked on the research at McGill University in Montreal.
“It’s all about the balance, finding the right population for which the benefits clearly outweigh the risks,” he told Reuters Health.
Hormone-targeted treatment has been linked to a higher risk of diabetes and heart disease.
