Bone Loss in Men on Androgen Blockade as Adjuvant Therapy for Prostate Cancer

Bone Loss in Men on Androgen Blockade as Adjuvant Therapy for Prostate Cancer

Patients with advanced prostate cancer undergoing adjuvant treatment with androgen blockade will be followed over a 1 year interval to assess the effects of this treatment on bone metabolism. It is expected that men undergoing androgen blockade will experience accelerated bone loss.

Inclusion Criteria:

• Men
• Age of 40 years or greater
• Diagnosis of advanced prostate cancer (ie: prostate-specific antigen [PSA] less than 25 ug/L and undergoing continued treatment with leuteinizing hormone-releasing hormone [LHRH] therapy)
• Willing and able to consent

Exclusion Criteria:

• Metastatic disease to bone
• Medications affecting bone turnover (bisphosphonate, steroids, anticonvulsant)
• Renal failure (serum creatinine > 200 umol/L)
• Co-morbidity factors affecting bone density (ie: Paget's, rheumatoid arthritis)
• Factors affecting ability to perform the bone density tests using femoral head measurements (ie: bilateral hip arthroplasty)
• Cancer other than skin, except when, in the investigators' opinion, it is determined to be appropriate and not adversely affect the outcome of the trial
• Gastrointestinal (GI) pathology (eg. malabsorption syndrome)
• Parathyroid disease