Effect of Androgen Deprivation Therapy on Cardiovascular Function in Prostate Cancer

Prostate Cancer is the second most common cancer among American men. Approximately 1 in 7 men will be diagnosed with prostate cancer during his lifetime. In prostate cancer patients alone, hypotestosteronemia, caused by prostate cancer treatment is associated with visceral adiposity, insulin resistance, metabolic syndrome, decreased high-density lipoprotein, increased low-density lipoprotein, increased triglycerides, loss of muscle mass, erectile disfunction, and a loss of microvascular endothelial function. Recently, several population-based studies have reported an association between androgen deprivation therapy and an increased risk of cardiovascular events, that include myocardial infarction and cardiovascular mortality. Given this link and the growing evidence that androgen-deprivation therapy adversely affects traditional risk factors, it is essential to better understand the role this type of treatment has on cardiac structure and function. As such, the manifestation of cardiovascular toxicities with prostate cancer treatment will initially be subclinical (left ventricular function changes in asymptomatic individuals) compared to clinical (including coronary symptoms or heart failure) and may develop subacutely (during treatment) or chronically.