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Prostate tumors may elevate risk of other types of cancer

Category: Prostate

Men who have been diagnosed with prostate cancer have a lot to worry about. The findings of a new study add one more thing to that list and underscore the need for further cancer testing.

A team of researchers from Cantonal Hospital in Switzerland found that men with prostate cancer are significantly more likely to develop colorectal cancer at some point in their lives. In particular, the risk was greatest among individuals who were on androgen deprivation therapy, or ADT, a common treatment for prostate cancer.

For the study, which was published in The Journal of the National Cancer Institute, researchers examined the medical records of more than 100,000 men who had been diagnosed with prostate cancer. After adjusting for other factors that may contribute to colorectal cancer, they found that men who were being treated with ADT were 30 to 40 percent more likely to develop the condition.

Additionally, the risk for colorectal cancer was even higher in men who were on ADT for extended periods of time. Researchers said that physicians should take their findings into consideration when they are thinking about prescribing the treatment strategy.