One of the commonly-prescribed drug treatments for men with prostate cancer, gonadotropin-releasing hormone agonist (GnRH), might put them at risk for the development of diabetes or heart disease, according to a large observational study conducted by Harvard Medical School researchers. Given by injection, this drug blocks the production of testosterone, a hormone that fuels prostate cancer. Because this treatment can be given for a prolonged period of time, researchers feel that doctors and prostate cancer patients should be made aware of the potential risks and weigh those against the benefit of treatment.
"Men with prostate cancer have high five-year survival rates, but they also have higher rates of non-cancer mortality than healthy men," says study author Dr Nancy Keating. For more information regarding this study, read Prostate Cancer Treatment Increases Risk of Diabetes and Heart Disease.
