Metabolic and cardiovascular risks of androgen-deprivation therapy for prostate cancer

Abstract

Androgen-deprivation therapy is frequently used to treat metastatic prostate cancer and is increasingly used to treat local and regional prostate cancer. Androgen deprivation has been shown to increase central obesity and insulin resistance, and it can alter serum lipid profiles. Recent data suggest that androgen-deprivation therapy is also associated with incident diabetes and cardiovascular disease and cardiac-related mortality. Patients and physicians making decisions regarding the use of androgen-deprivation therapy should weigh the benefits and possible risks, particularly when androgen-deprivation therapy is being used for indications where benefits have not been clearly defined. They may also want to consider monitoring for possible side effects related to cardiovascular and metabolic outcomes.

Keywords::

• androgen deprivation
• cardiovascular risk
• diabetes risk
• prostate cancer
• survivorship

Financial & competing interests disclosure

Nancy Keating’s effort was funded in part by a grant from the Prostate Cancer Foundation. The authors have no other relevant affiliations or financial involvement with any organization or entity with a financial interest in or financial conflict with the subject matter or materials discussed in the manuscript apart from those disclosed.

No writing assistance was utilized in the production of this manuscript.