Prostate Cancer Treatment Can Increase The Risk For Osteoporosis

A new study shows men with prostate cancer who receive a common medication aimed to treat disease that has spread or reduce the risk of recurrence after surgery may be at increased risk for developing osteoporosis.

The research showed men treated with androgen deprivation therapy (ADT) after prostate cancer run a higher risk of developing the bone-thinning disease most common among women. Men who are older, smoke, or suffer from alcoholism are at especially high risk.

For the study the records of 184 prostate cancer patients were reviewed to determine if their doctors ordered bone mineral density tests to assess for osteoporosis or prescribed drugs to treat the disease. Results showed only about 15 percent of the men underwent any kind of medical management for osteoporosis, and only about 5 percent received a drug to treat the condition.

Thus researchers say a lack of formal guidelines on the treatment of osteoporosis among men on ADT may be to blame for the dismal findings.