Study links prostate cancer treatment to risk of dementia

A study from the University of Pennsylvania's Perelman School of Medicine found a link between drugs commonly used to treat prostate cancer and an increased risk of developing dementia. The study involved more than 150,000 men with prostate cancer, of which 62,330 began receiving antiandrogenic therapy (ADT) within two years of diagnosis.

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This large study follows several earlier, smaller studies that have shown an badociation between the current treatment of prostate cancer and the increased risk of developing dementia and Alzheimer's disease.

In their study, researchers from the University of Pennsylvania discovered that 22% of prostate cancer patients who received ADD were later diagnosed with dementia, compared with 16% who did not have a diagnosis of dementia. have not received ADD. In addition, 13% of people on ADT developed Alzheimer's disease, compared with 9% who had not received hormone treatment.

Although this blocking hormone therapy has been shown to be effective in slowing prostate cancer, it has a number of risk factors, including an increased risk of depression, cardiovascular disease, and, according to a growing number of studies, a cognitive decline possible.

Thomas Guzzo, MD, MPH, co-author of the study, explained:

I think we need to look at these patients at the individual level. Some patients definitely need hormone therapy and benefit greatly from it. There are others where the evidence is less clear and in these patients we should strongly consider the risk of hormone therapy versus the benefits of treating their prostate cancer. This should be a shared decision-making process with the patient.