Men Taking Hormone Treatment for Longer May Improve Prostate Cancer Outlook

Recently a European study found similar results to that of a previous study based in America. Men that have moderately advanced prostate cancer and receive hormone blocking drugs after their radiation therapy will fair better when the drug treatment is continued for two or more years after the first six month regimen.

Dr. Eric M. Horwitz, the acting chairman of radiation oncology at Fox Chase Cancer Center in Philadelphia, was the one who led the group that did the U.S. study. He says that, the results pretty much mirror those of a similar American trial reported in May. In the U.S study 1,554 men were followed for 10 years. There was no significant difference in the overall survival, with 51.6 percent for the short-term group, and 53.9 percent for the long-term group.

However, among those that were still alive there was quite a significant difference. After 10 years, the survival rate of the cancer-free, short-term group was 13.2 percent. However, in the long-term group was a survival rate of 22.5 percent, nearly 10 percent higher.

Additionally, the spread of cancer to other parts of the body and greater growth of the malignancy within the prostate gland were better for the men that had received the long-term therapy.

However, both of the studies have made reports of side effects that were expected such as, hot flashes, weight gain, osteoporosis and loss of sexual function. Concerning the side effects Dr. Horwitz had this to say, "Some men get them and some do not. Over the last few years, there has been a lot of attention paid to these side effects, in the medical literature and in public awareness, and there has been more reluctance to use this therapy. These studies clearly identify a group of men who benefit from this therapy."

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