Androgen deprivation therapy increases the risk of depression in patients with prostate cancer

This study aimed to determine whether androgen deprivation therapy (ADT) is associated with an increased risk of depression for patients with prostate cancer. It found that there was an increased risk of depression. 

A main treatment option for prostate cancer is androgen deprivation therapy (ADT). This blocks the male hormones, such as testosterone, responsible for cancer growth. ADT has been associated with multiple side effects. It is unclear if this treatment increases risk of depression. Depression rates can be high among cancer patients and it is difficult to find a single cause for it. 

This study analyzed 18 articles, which included 168,756 patients. 46% of these patients were treated with ADT.

There was a 41% increased risk of depression with use of ADT.  There was no difference in patients on continuous or intermittent ADT. 

This study concluded that there was an increased risk of depression associated with ADT.

The level of depression could have been under-represented in these studies. Secondly, there is a high association of baseline depression in cancer patients and this could have affected the study's data.