Androgen deprivation therapy for prostate cancer and the risk of hematologic disorders

PURPOSE: This study aimed to investigate the association between androgen deprivation therapy (ADT) and the risk of subsequently developing hematologic disorders in patients with prostate cancer. MATERIALS AND METHODS: This population-based nationwide cohort study utilized data from the Taiwan National Health Insurance Research Database between 1997 and 2013. The patients were divided into three groups—those who received ADT only (ADT-only group), those who had radiotherapy (RT) only (RT-only group), and those treated with radical prostatectomy (RP) only (RP-only group). The study outcome was newly diagnosed hematologic disorder, including anemia and hematologic malignancy. Propensity score-matched, Cox regression, and Kaplan–Meier curve analyses were performed to investigate the risk of subsequently developing hematologic disorders after ADT. RESULTS: Of the 17,168 patients with prostate cancer who were included in the study, 13,318 met the inclusion and exclusion criteria. After propensity score matching, 1,797, 1,797, and 1,797 patients treated with ADT only, RT only, and RP only, respectively, who had a median follow-up period of 4.32 years were included in the study cohort. Compared with the patients treated with RP only, those who received ADT and RT were significantly at increased risk of subsequently developing hematologic disorders (ADT: adjusted hazard ratio [aHR]: 1.60, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.29–1.97; RT: aHR, 1.98, 95% CI: 1.62–2.42) according to the Cox regression analysis. Based on the Kaplan–Meier curve analysis, patients with bone metastasis who received ADT only had the lowest cumulative probabilities of not developing hematologic disorders. Moreover, a significantly increased risk of hematologic disorders was observed with the increasing duration of ADT (P for trend < .001). CONCLUSIONS: The use of ADT in patients with prostate cancer may increase the risk of subsequently developing hematologic disorders.