Quality of life of asymptomatic men with nonmetastatic prostate cancer on androgen deprivation therapy.
OBJECTIVE
We evaluate the quality of life of asymptomatic men with nonmetastatic prostate cancer who receive androgen deprivation therapy.


METHODS
Quality of life was longitudinally evaluated in a cohort of 144 men with locally advanced prostate cancer or prostate specific antigen relapse after local therapy who chose to receive (79 patients) or not to receive (65 patients) androgen deprivation therapy. Androgen deprivation therapy consisted of orchiectomy, leuprolide alone or leuprolide plus flutamide. Multivariate analysis of variance was used to test the effect of different treatment regimens on patient quality of life.


RESULTS
Men who received androgen suppression had more fatigue, loss of energy, emotional distress and a lower overall quality of life than men who deferred hormone therapy. Combined androgen blockade had a greater adverse effect on quality of life than monotherapy.


CONCLUSIONS
Androgen deprivation therapy may significantly impair the physical and emotional health of asymptomatic patients with nonmetastatic prostate cancer.
Herr
H W
HW
Department of Urology, Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center, New York, New York, USA.
O'Sullivan
M
M
D000368:Aged; D000726:Androgen Antagonists / Q000627:therapeutic use; D018931:Antineoplastic Agents, Hormonal / Q000627:therapeutic use; D004359:Drug Therapy, Combination; D005485:Flutamide / Q000627:therapeutic use; D006305:Health Status Indicators; D006801:Humans; D016729:Leuprolide / Q000627:therapeutic use; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009919:Orchiectomy; D011471:Prostatic Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy; D011788:Quality of Life; D013315:Stress, Psychological
D000726:Androgen Antagonists; D018931:Antineoplastic Agents, Hormonal; D005485:Flutamide; D016729:Leuprolide