The authors aimed to determine the risk of bone fractures in men who underwent hormone therapy.

Hormone therapy is a common treatment used in prostate cancer. It targets the male sex hormones active in prostate cancer, such as testosterone. There are numerous types of hormone treatment. These include anti-androgen therapy and orchiectomy. Anti-androgen therapy involves blocking a specific protein used by cancer cells for growth. Orchiectomy involves surgically removing the testicles, which is where the majority of male hormones are made. These treatments can be used in combination together (combined androgen blockade – CAB).

Some patients may experience side effects after treatment, such as a weakening in the bones resulting in more frequent breaks or fractures.Further studies are needed to determine the extent of bone breakage in men following hormone therapy.

The aim of this study was to analyze the extent of bone fractures in men who underwent hormone therapy for prostate cancer.

25,544 prostate cancer patients were analyzed in this study. 36.7% of these patients underwent hormone therapy.

Of the entire group of patients, 6% experienced at least one fracture after treatment. Patients who underwent hormone therapy had a 10.8% rate of fracture compared to 3.2% of patients who did not undergo hormone treatment. Patients who underwent hormone treatment had a 2.83 times increased risk of experiencing any fracture and an 82% increased risk of hip fractures leading to hospitalization compared to patients who did not undergo hormone treatment. Patients who received hormone treatment had a lower 5-year fracture-free survival of 85.8% compared to 95.8% in patients who did not receive hormone treatment.

Patients who underwent CAB treatment had the highest risk of experiencing bone fractures (4 times more likely). Patients who underwent orchiectomy alone had a higher risk of bone fractures (2.54 times higher) compared to patients who underwent anti-androgen therapy alone (2.11 times higher).

The authors concluded that patients who received hormone therapy had a significantly increased risk of bone fractures.

Please discuss your risk of bone fracture with your doctor.