Development of diabetes mellitus following hormone therapy in prostate cancer patients is associated with early progression to castration resistance

To identify risk factors for the prognosis of prostate cancer (PC), we retrospectively analyzed the impact of lifestyle-related disorders as well as PC characteristics at initial diagnosis on the progression to castration-resistant PC (CRPC) in PC patients undergoing hormone therapy. Of 648 PC patients, 230 who underwent hormone therapy and met inclusion criteria were enrolled in this study. CRPC developed in 48 patients (20.9%). Univariate analysis using Cox proportional hazard model indicated that newly developed diabetes mellitus (DM) following hormone therapy (postDM), but not preexisting DM, as well as PC characteristics at initial diagnosis including prostate-specific antigen (PSA) ≥ 18 were significantly associated with the progression to CRPC. A similar tendency was also observed in the relationship between newly developed hypertension following hormone therapy and CRPC progression. On the other hand, neither dyslipidemia nor hyperuricemia, regardless the onset timing, exhibited any association with CRPC progression. In multivariate analysis, postDM and PSA ≥ 18 were extracted as independent risk factors for CRPC progression (adjusted hazard ratios, 3.38 and 2.34; p values, 0.016 and 0.019, respectively). Kaplan–Meier analysis and log-rank test clearly indicated earlier progression to CRPC in PC patients who developed postDM or had relatively advanced initial PC characteristics including PSA ≥ 18. Together, the development of lifestyle-related disorders, particularly DM, following hormone therapy, as well as advanced PC characteristics at initial diagnosis is considered to predict earlier progression to CRPC and poor prognosis in PC patients undergoing hormone therapy.