A new Australian study has found that men with advanced prostate cancer, who are surviving longer by being treated with a combination of androgen deprivation therapy (ADT) and external beam radiotherapy (EBRT), are reporting poorer health related quality of life than other treatment groups.

While all treatments for advanced prostate cancer result in side-effects such as hormonal issues (hot flushes, depression, fatigue, impaired sexual function), the study found that men having combined ADT/EBRT fared worse than those on other treatments.

Lead researcher, Dr David Smith from Cancer Council NSW, said the men consistently had more problems with energy and fatigue over the entire five years, and poorer urinary function. “Improved treatments like combined ADT/EBRT are extending the survival of men with prostate cancer, but this often comes at a price,” Dr Smith said.

“We’re getting better at prolonging the lives of men with advanced prostate cancer, but we need to get better at improving their quality of life.”

Source: COSA