Impact of androgen-deprivation therapy on cognitive function in men with nonmetastatic prostate cancer.
OBJECTIVE
To evaluate the effects of androgen-deprivation therapy (ADT) on cognitive function in men with nonmetastatic prostate cancer (PC).


METHODS
The following three groups of men age 50 years or older and matched on age and education were enrolled: patients with PC starting continuous ADT (n = 77), patients with PC not receiving ADT (PC controls, n = 82), and healthy controls (n = 82). A battery of 14 neuropsychological tests, examining eight cognitive domains, was administered at baseline, 6 months, and 12 months. Changes in cognitive scores over time were analyzed using the following three approaches: multivariable linear regression; the proportion of participants per group with 1 standard deviation (SD) or greater declines, and the proportion of participants who declined by at least 1.5 SD on two or more tests.


RESULTS
The mean age and education level of participants were 68.9 years (range, 50 to 87 years) and 15.4 years of education (range, 8 to 24 years), respectively. Adjusted for age and education, all three cohorts had similar cognitive scores at baseline other than in one test of working memory. In adjusted regressions, ADT use was not associated with significant changes in the domains of attention/processing speed, verbal fluency, verbal memory, visual memory, or cognitive flexibility at either 6 months (all P > .05) or 12 months (all P > .05). One test each of immediate memory (P = .029), working memory (P = .031), and visuospatial ability (P = .034) were worse among ADT users than controls at 12 months, but these findings were not confirmed using other analytic approaches.


CONCLUSIONS
There is no consistent evidence that 12 months of ADT use has an adverse effect on cognitive function in elderly men with PC.
University Health Network, Toronto, Ontario, Canada. shabbir.alibhai@uhn.on.ca
Shabbir M H
SM
Alibhai
Henriette
H
Breunis
Narhari
N
Timilshina
Shireen
S
Marzouk
Diane
D
Stewart
Ian
I
Tannock
Gary
G
Naglie
George
G
Tomlinson
Neil
N
Fleshner
Murray
M
Krahn
Padraig
P
Warde
Sarah Duff
SD
Canning
D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000726:Androgen Antagonists / Q000009:adverse effects*; D003071:Cognition / Q000187:drug effects*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009483:Neuropsychological Tests; D011471:Prostatic Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy*
D000726:Androgen Antagonists