Testosterone therapy deemed safe in patients with a history of prostate cancer that has been treated, and in patients with low-risk disease on active surveillance.

A recent study presented this past week at the American Urological Association Annual Meeting reveals testosterone therapy does not increase recurrence rates in men treated for prostate cancer, nor does it increase progression of prostate cancer for patients who have low-risk prostate cancer and are being managed with “active surveillance.”  The study was presented by Dr Abraham Morgentaler, Director of Men’s Health Boston and Associate Clinical Director of Urology at Harvard Medical School, who is considered an expert in the field of testosterone therapy and men’s health.

The trial studied 190 men who received testosterone therapy to treat symptoms related to hypogonadism.  These men were either 1) already treated for prostate cancer (with either surgery or radiation), or 2) had low-risk prostate cancer being monitored on “active surveillance” protocols rather than treatment.  A mean follow-up of 47 months appeared to show no difference in recurrence rates of prostate cancer in men treated with testosterone therapy after they had received cancer treatment (surgery or radiation) compared to data from previous trials studying men who had not received testosterone therapy. Of 5 men treated with surgery who required salvage radiation therapy due to aggressive features of their prostate cancer, none had a recurrence with the addition of testosterone therapy.  Furthermore, patients on “active surveillance” did not appear to have a higher rate of cancer progression compared to published recurrence rates of groups not receiving testosterone therapy.

Traditionally, physicians have been concerned that testosterone therapy could cause prostate cancer or increase the progression of disease.  This is the largest study to date supporting the use of testosterone therapy in men with treated prostate cancer or those with low-risk disease being monitored with “active surveillance.”  The trial, along with similar trials published over recent years, should help further the discussion between patients suffering from the symptoms of low testosterone (hypogonadism) and their physicians to determine if they may be candidates for treatment with testosterone supplementation.