Use of Hormone Therapy By Prostate Cancer Patients With Heart Disease Increases Risk of Death

According to a recent study which was published in the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA), men with prostate cancer and a history of heart attack or congestive heart failure who receive hormone therapy before radiation have an increased risk of death.

The researchers assessed 5,077 men (median age being 69.5 years) with localized or locally advanced prostate cancer.  Some men were treated with radiation therapy alone, and others were treated with hormone therapy prior to radiation.

They concluded that among men with no history of heart attack or congestive heart failure, receipt of hormone therapy did not significantly influence the risk of death.  However, among men with a history of heart attack or congestive heart failure due to coronary artery disease, receiving hormone therapy almost doubled the risk of death.