Men being treated for prostate cancer using hormone therapy maybe under-recognized for their risk of developing osteoporosis, according to a new study.
Researchers writing in the January 15, 2005 issue of CANCER, a peer-reviewed journal of the American Cancer Society, say few patients get tested for osteoporosis during treatment. Moreover, even men with other risk factors for osteoporosis, such as smoking or receiving the hormone treatment for a long time, are still unlikely to receive prevention or treatment.
Osteoporosis is a disease characterized by brittle, easily fractured bones that is associated with significant morbidity, mortality, and healthcare cost. It is caused by dysregulation of the hormone-regulated bone remodeling system that leads to a loss of bone mineral density. Risk factors for male osteoporosis include age-associated hormone changes, alcoholism, smoking, some medications, including those used in the treatment of prostate cancer.