Treatment for prostrate cancer involving hormone therapy has started showing severe side effects in the form of new diseases such as diabetes and cardiovascular disorders and in some cases has also proved to be fatal.

The drugs that are used are also known as gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH) agonists. Testosterones, which are the male sex hormones increases the rate of progress of prostrate cancer. These drugs act as suppressants for the production of testosterones and thus relieve the symptoms. Extensive clinical research had proven that gonadotropin-releasing hormone agonists were effective in reliving the symptoms of advanced prostate cancer. Post approval, these drugs were consumed by prostrate cancer patients and were also known as androgen deprivation therapy.

As per reports sent by Food and Drug Administration, it was stated that

• Despite the fact that the risk involving diabetes and heart diseases were low in men who had been administered this drug, it was advised that these patients have regular follow ups to detect early signs of increased blood sugar or cardiovascular disorders. This would ensure that these diseases did not aggravate.
• Doctors should segregate patients who are at a high risk of diabetes and heart diseases before they put them on hormone therapy. The doctors should be well versed with the side effects and benefits of this therapy.

Though initially, there were only branded versions of this drug in the market, but lately, the market has been flooded with generic versions which have increased the risk of these side effects.

The prostate gland is situated just below the urinary bladder.  This gland encircles the upper part of the urethra which is the passage for urine excretion and ends at the tip of the male reproductive organ. Prostate gland controls urination by pressing against the urethra and helps in production of semen by providing minerals and sugar.

Prostate cancer is a malignant tumor that occurs in the cells from the prostate gland. The prognosis of this disease is slow as the tumor grows slowly and may go undetected for years. In some cases, they can grow at a faster rate and can affect the life span of the patients.

The most common cancer in the U.S is lung cancer which is followed by prostrate cancer, with more than 217,000 new cases each year. As per government estimates, this cancer will be killing more that 32000 men this year.

Men who are diagnosed with prostrate cancer are initially put on other forms of advanced therapies to treat this disease. When none of them help to relieve the symptoms, hormone therapy is used as a last resort to ameliorate the symptoms.

FDA and other agencies have asked the manufactures to mention the fact that consumption of this drug can cause diabetes, increased blood sugar and heart problems under the heading “warnings and precautions”.

In February, various doctors had reported in the medical journal circulation that there were chanced that androgen deprivation treatment was increasing the risk of heart attacks. Due to this, they have requested further research in this matter.

People who read above article also read the following...