Testosterone Replacement Therapy
Testosterone replacement therapy reportedly does not increase recurrence rates for men with a history of prostate cancer, so says an investigation from the American Urological Association 2018 annual meeting. Now details from the study have been revealed.
In one study, a total of 190 men with prostate cancer undertaking testosterone replacement therapy (TRT) were found to have expected biochemical recurrence rates after radical prostatectomy (RP) and radiation therapy. The study was completed by Abraham Morgentaler, MD, Director of Men’s Health Boston and Associate Clinical Professor of Urology at Harvard Medical School in Boston.
“This is the largest series to date investigating the safety of testosterone therapy in men with prostate cancer,” Speaking to Renal & Urology News, Dr Morgentaler explained. “Recurrence rates following prostate cancer treatment with surgery or radiation were low for men treated with testosterone, and were quite similar to expected recurrence rates based on numerous published studies. This was also true for men on active surveillance.”
“For decades, physicians have feared offering testosterone therapy to men with prostate cancer because we were taught that raising testosterone would be like ‘pouring gasoline on a fire.’ From this study, and smaller studies before it, we know this concept can no longer be correct.”
Genetic Testing For Cancer
In conclusion, the use of TRT for those suffering from low testosterone while undergoing prostate cancer treatment or with a history of prostate cancer is seemingly no longer a definitive negative to many medical professionals. Atlanta Men’s Clinic also offers a state of the art Cancer Genomics test that can reveal some extremely important information regarding your hereditary risk towards the disease, which we’ll be writing more about in a future blog.
