A group of scientists from the Dana-Farber/Brigham and Women's Cancer Center, in collaboration with Harvard experts, found that certain prostate cancer drugs are associated with an increased risk of death from cardiovascular causes in men with congestive heart failure or previous heart attacks..

The study analyzed data from more than 5,000 men with prostate cancer treated from 1997 to 2006.. Androgen blocking drugs (ADTs), which lower the levels of male hormones in the body to prevent cancer cells from being stimulated, have been found to increase the risk of death in men with congestive heart failure or previous heart attacks by 3.3 times..

An association between such drugs and an increased risk from cardiac causes in men without cardiac risk factors, diabetes, and hypertension has not been established.. Dr. Paul Nguyen: “While androgen blockade may be a lifesaver for men with prostate cancer and significantly increase the cure rate, there is a possibility that a small subset of people who have significant heart disease may experience an increase in cardiac deaths..

I would also say that for men with severe heart problems, we should try to avoid ADT when not needed.”.

global science. en.