Androgen-deprivation therapy is associated with an array of adverse side-effects

Androgen-deprivation therapy (ADT) is a hormone therapy that deprives the patient’s body of androgens, such as testosterone, which have been shown to stimulate the growth of prostate cancer cells

Despite its clinical efficacy in advanced prostate cancer, ADT is associated with an array of adverse side-effects such as insulin resistance and increased risk of cardiovascular disease. Researchers say that men receiving ADT undergo a shift in body mass composition, gaining weight by increasing body fat and losing bone density and lean muscle mass.

Experts warn that the rising use of ADT makes to pay close attention to the side-effects of the therapy, including weight gain, as obesity is linked with a number of chronic and potentially life-threatening health problems.