While prostate cancer ranks among the most prevalent noncutaneous cancers in American men, the leading cause of mortality in this population is not the malignancy itself; it is cardiovascular disease.
Key takeaways
- Men with prostate cancer are more likely to die from heart disease, not cancer.
- Patients who start androgen deprivation therapy (ADT) are more likely to have a heart attack or stroke if they already have diabetes, high blood pressure, or high cholesterol. The risk is even higher if they have all three.
- Doctors can assess risk using patient information they already have to quickly identify which individuals need closer heart monitoring before and during ADT.
Androgen deprivation therapy, the foundational treatment for advanced prostate cancer, reduces testosterone and helps to slow or stop prostate cancer. But it also raises the risk of heart problems, especially in men who have diabetes, high blood pressure, and/or high cholesterol.
In this co-authored article, “Common Comorbidities Predict Incidence of Cardiovascular Events in Patients With Prostate Cancer Treated With Androgen Deprivation Therapy,” published in JU Open Plus, CRA’s Eddie Li and Tao Jiang, with others, provide a simplified method for cardiovascular risk assessment in patients with prostate cancer initiating ADT.
Their method is not dependent on complex calculations or extra tests, allowing health care professionals to take proactive steps to protect their patients’ heart health sooner.
