Preventing Fractures In Prostate Cancer Patients - SpecialtyRx
April 13, 2022
Preventing Fractures In Prostate Cancer Patients

Study shows bone health intervention can lower fracture risks,

A hot topic brought to you by SpecialtyRx, your partner in long-term care

 

Androgen Deprivation Therapy (ADT) is commonly used to treat older men diagnosed with prostate cancer, despite low androgen being a common secondary cause of osteoporosis in men.

Study results indicate that bone mineral density screenings may help prevent major fractures in older men receiving ADT. The results show the importance of dual X-ray absorptiometry (DXA) scans to determine baseline bone density and fracture risk in these patients.

Of the close to 55,000 study participants aged 66 and older being treated with ADT, only 7.9% received bone density screenings. 17% experienced some type of fracture and 7.7% developed a major osteoporotic fracture.

The risk of major osteoporotic fractures was significantly lower in those men that received a DXA scan after adjustment for other variables according to Maria Suarez-Almazor, M.D., Ph.D., of the University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center in Houston.

Prevention of morbidity and mortality associated with secondary fractures linked to ADT can be as simple as adding Vitamin D and calcium supplements which could help retain bone strength and in certain cases, the osteoporosis drug Denosumab. The study proves that further research is needed on the subject. “At SpecialtyRx we are always learning about new therapies and adding them to our system to make them available for the LTC residents we serve, and sharing what we have learned along the way,” stated Joe Kubulak, Chief Operating Officer.