Dr Dalia Kaakour speaks to ecancer about the development of cardiovascular disease risk factors in patients with prostate cancer initiating novel hormonal therapies (NHTs).

Novel hormonal therapies, including abiraterone acetate, enzalutamide, apalutamide, and darolutamide, are standard treatments for advanced prostate cancer, but their cardiovascular effects remain under-studied.

This retrospective study evaluated 195 patients treated between 2022 and 2025, focusing on the initiation of new antihypertensive, lipid-lowering, or antidiabetic medications following therapy.

Results showed that patients receiving abiraterone acetate had higher rates of starting new antihypertensive and lipid-lowering medications compared with those on darolutamide, while the need for new diabetes medications was similar between the two groups.

Dr Kaakour says that these findings highlight real-world cardiovascular risks associated with specific hormonal therapies and underscore the importance of monitoring and managing metabolic and cardiovascular health in patients with advanced prostate cancer.