Could Androgen Deprivation Therapy Increase the Risk of Alzheimer Disease?

Men who undergo androgen deprivation therapy (ADT) for prostate cancer may double their risk of developing Alzheimer disease (AD) down the road, according to a recent study, with longer durations of ADT correlating to higher risk of AD.

“We wanted to contribute to the discussion regarding the relative risks and benefits of ADT, and no one had yet looked at the association between ADT and Alzheimer’s disease,” researchers explained.
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For their study, researchers analyzed electronic medical records from patients at Stanford health system and from Mt. Sinai Hospital.  In total, they identified 16,888 individuals with prostate cancer meeting their inclusion criteria, with 2397 having received ADT during a median follow-up of 2.7 years.

Using both a propensity score-matched analysis and traditional multivariable-adjusted Cox regression analysis, researchers identified a statistically significant association between ADT and AD risk, noting that the analysis also suggested a dose-response effect.

The researchers noted, however, that the results do not prove causality.

“Our results support an association between the use of ADT in the treatment of prostate cancer and an increased risk of Alzheimer’s disease in a general population cohort,” they concluded.

“This study demonstrates the utility of novel methods to analyze electronic medical record data to generate practice-based evidence.”

—Michael Potts

References:

Nead KT, Gaskin G, Chester C, et al. Androgen deprivation therapy and future alzheimer’s disease risk. Journal of Clinical Oncology. December 7, 2015. [epub ahead of print]. doi: 10.1200/JCO.2015.63.6266.