by megan rauscher
new york (reuters health) - testosterone-lowering therapy —— one of the most effective and commonly used therapies for prostate cancer —— often causes bone loss. however, once-weekly drug treatment combats the problem, according to a new study.
fosamax, used to treat osteoporosis in postmenopausal women, also helps prevent bone loss associated with so-called "androgen deprivation" treatment of prostate cancer, the researchers reported at the 2006 prostate cancer symposium.
"patients on androgen deprivation therapy tend to lose bone mass early, within the first 6 to 12 months of treatment, and the bone loss continues for the duration of therapy," noted dr. susan l. greenspan from the university of pittsburgh.
"currently," greenspan noted, "lifelong androgen deprivation therapy is common for advanced prostate cancer, but more recently it has been a common treatment for less aggressive disease."
bone mass, she said, "should be evaluated in men who are starting therapy to lower testosterone because we are putting them in a situation similar to newly postmenopausal women with a relatively fast rate of bone loss."
in a 2-year study sponsored by the national institutes of health, greenspan and colleagues are evaluating the effects of fosamax on bone in a group of men with prostate cancer receiving androgen deprivation therapy.
new york (reuters health) - testosterone-lowering therapy —— one of the most effective and commonly used therapies for prostate cancer —— often causes bone loss. however, once-weekly drug treatment combats the problem, according to a new study.
fosamax, used to treat osteoporosis in postmenopausal women, also helps prevent bone loss associated with so-called "androgen deprivation" treatment of prostate cancer, the researchers reported at the 2006 prostate cancer symposium.
"patients on androgen deprivation therapy tend to lose bone mass early, within the first 6 to 12 months of treatment, and the bone loss continues for the duration of therapy," noted dr. susan l. greenspan from the university of pittsburgh.
"currently," greenspan noted, "lifelong androgen deprivation therapy is common for advanced prostate cancer, but more recently it has been a common treatment for less aggressive disease."
bone mass, she said, "should be evaluated in men who are starting therapy to lower testosterone because we are putting them in a situation similar to newly postmenopausal women with a relatively fast rate of bone loss."
in a 2-year study sponsored by the national institutes of health, greenspan and colleagues are evaluating the effects of fosamax on bone in a group of men with prostate cancer receiving androgen deprivation therapy.