This study involved 153 prostate cancer patients and 80 controls, all African men. A rise in “metabolic syndrome” markers (such as increased BMI, insulin resistance and poor blood lipid profiles) occurs in patients on ADT. This is a concern since metabolic syndrome and is itself a risk factor for diabetes and cardiovascular disease. The risk of metabolic syndrome is quite real for both black and white prostate cancer patients on ADT.
Interestingly, ADT for 36% of the men was by surgical castration and the men in that group showed significantly less increase in waist circumference than those on LHRH agonist drugs. An increase in waist circumference is itself a classic side effect of ADT.
Essien OE, Bassey IE, Gali RM, Udoh AE, Akpan UO, Glen EE. 2016. Cardiovascular disease risk factors: How relevant in African men with prostate cancer receiving androgen-deprivation therapy. Journal of Global Oncology [Epub ahead of print] 25 May 2016. http://jgo.ascopubs.org/content/early/2016/05/21/JGO.2015.002790.abstract