A new study finds that a hormone treatment that helps shrink or control prostate tumors also increases the risk of death in older men who've had serious heart problems.
Hormone therapy works by suppressing the amount of testosterone produced. It can help men with more advanced disease when used with surgery or radiation.
However there are troubling side effects including impotence, bone loss, hot flashes, memory problems, fatigue and an increased risk for diabetes and heart disease.
The study, appearing in tomorrow's Journal of the American Medical Association, tracked more than 5,000 men with prostate cancer that hadn't spread. The findings line up with prior studies that have found that sicker men don't benefit from hormone therapy when it's added to radiation.
Medical News
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Report questioning salt guidelines riles heart experts
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Caffeinated gum raises health buzz
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Just one daily soda can raise diabetes risk
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Seeing green might make your workout better
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No time to exercise? Try 10-minute workouts
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Stressed? Exercise may help ward off anxiety
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