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Androgen deprivation increases the risk of fracture in prostate cancer patients: a population-based study in Chinese patients

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Abstract

Summary

Androgen deprivation therapy (ADT) or orchiectomy is associated with an increased risk of osteoporosis or fracture. In this nationwide database analysis, we found that ADT or orchiectomy increased the risk of fracture in Chinese patients with prostate cancer. However, the magnitude of increase is seemingly not as large as that in Western populations.

Introduction

ADT using gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH) agonists or orchiectomy is associated with an increased risk of osteoporosis or fracture. To investigate the effects of ADT duration or orchiectomy on any type of fracture in Asian patients with prostate cancer, we conducted this retrospective analysis using a nationwide database in Taiwan.

Methods

We included 17,359 subjects who were newly diagnosed with prostate cancer between January 1, 1998, and December 31, 2007. The risk of first fracture was our primary endpoint.

Results

The rates of fracture from 12 months after prostate cancer diagnosis until the last follow-up date were 8.7 % for all patients, 7.1 % for patients who did not receive ADT or orchiectomy, 9.8 % for patients who received ADT, and 14.4 % for patients who received orchiectomy with or without ADT (P < 0.0001). In a Cox proportional hazard analysis, the relative risk of fracture increased steadily with the number of doses of GnRH agonists received during the first year after cancer diagnosis and with dose density. A significant hazard ratio was observed in patients who received at least nine doses within 1 year after diagnosis and in those whose dose density exceeded two doses per year. Age greater than or equal to 65 years was associated with a significantly lower risk of fracture.

Conclusion

ADT or orchiectomy increases the risk of fracture in Chinese patients with prostate cancer. However, the magnitude of this increase is seemingly not as large as that in Western populations.

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Acknowledgments

This work was supported by the research grant from Chang Gung Memorial Hospital (CORPG6D0161).

Author contributions

CDW took part in the conception and design of this study, data acquisition, analysis, and interpretation, and in preparing the draft. YHY took part in data acquisition, analysis, and interpretation and in the statistical analyses. PCC and MFC critically revised the manuscript for important intellectual content. MFC also made the final approval of the submitted version. WCC took part in the conception and design of this study, data acquisition, analysis, and interpretation, and in the final approval of the submitted version. All authors read and approved the final manuscript.

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None.

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Correspondence to M.-F. Chen or W.-C. Chen.

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Wu, CT., Yang, YH., Chen, PC. et al. Androgen deprivation increases the risk of fracture in prostate cancer patients: a population-based study in Chinese patients. Osteoporos Int 26, 2281–2290 (2015). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00198-015-3135-9

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00198-015-3135-9

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