Men who receive hormone therapy for prostate cancer with drugs called gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH) agonists may find themselves at higher risk for diabetes and heart disease. Doctors and patients should take this into account when deciding whether GnRH agonist treatment is appropriate, according to a study by Harvard Medical School researchers published in the Journal of Clinical Oncology.
GnRH agonists are also called LHRH agonists. Common drugs in this class include leuprolide (Lupron, Viadur, Eligard), goserelin (Zoladex), and triptorelin (Trelstar).
The goal of hormone therapy for prostate cancer is to reduce levels of testosterone, the male hormone that is known to fuel the growth of the cancer. Hormone therapy is typically given for prostate cancer when it has spread to other parts of the body or has come back after treatment with surgery or radiation. It is also given before radiation in early stages of the cancer to make the tumor easier to treat. The authors say the use of hormone therapy in men with earlier stage prostate cancer has been increasing in recent years.
