Study: Lifesaving Prostate Cancer Treatment Could Harm Brain
PHILADELPHIA (CBS) -- A joint study conducted by researchers at Penn University Medicine, along with others at Stanford University, shows how a lifesaving treatment for prostate cancer could be harmful to the brain.
Millions of medical records were reviewed.
It was tedious work, but the outcome was dramatic for the research team led by Dr. Kevin Nead, of the University of Pennsylvania.
"In this study men who received hormone therapy had about an 88 percent increased risk of Alzheimer's disease," said Dr. Nead.
Men with advanced prostate cancer are often put on what's called Androgen Deprivation Therapy, or ADT.
It lowers testosterone levels, the hormone that fuels prostate cancer.
"Hormone therapy has been shown to extend life in men with prostate cancer," Dr. Nead said.
The research found that prostate cancer patients with reduced testosterone levels, on the hormone therapy for more than a year, had the greatest risk of developing Alzheimer's, the risk was more than double.
"Testosterone has been shown to be important for the health of neurons," said Dr. Nead. "The neurons make up the brain, and if we are not keeping those neurons healthy, it could lead to an increased risk of Alzheimer's."
This is the first research on prostate cancer patients showing a link with testosterone, which is good for the brain, but bad for the prostate.
"Like with any medication, this study tells us it has risks and benefits," Dr. Nead said.
Experts say since hormone therapy is typically given to patients with advanced prostate cancer it's unclear whether the increased Alzheimer's risk is connected with the treatment, or with the severity of the disease, or with the age of the patients.
