ADT (androgen deprivation therapy), which lowers testosterone levels in men with prostate cancer, increases the risk of a fatal heart attack.
The therapy also raises the chances of fractures, gum and teeth disease, and mood swings.
Patients given ADT were up to 17 per cent more likely to suffer a fatal heart problem than those who were not receiving the therapy. There was also a 23 per cent increased risk of bone fractures after ADT.
The latest findings add to earlier studies that discovered ADT also increases the risk of diabetes.
(Source: Cancer, April 27, 2009; doi: 10.1002/cncr.24283).