There have been numerous studies examining the how hormone deprivation (ADT), in the treatment of prostate cancer, has on a man’s cognition. There have been contradictor studies about this issue, however having had the experience and the honor of dealing with so many men with prostate cancer treated with androgen deprivation therapy (ADT), as well as my own personal experience, I must fall in line and agree with an online published study that shows that men on ADT are likely to experience cognitive impairment of some type.

The study was small, as all of the other studies have been, followed 58 men on ADT. It was published online in the Journal of Clinical Oncology.

According to Brian Gonzalez, PhD, a postdoctoral fellow in the Health Outcomes and Behavior Program at the H. Lee Moffitt Cancer Center, in Tampa, Florida, “Men who received ADT for prostate cancer were more likely to exhibit impaired cognitive performance than men who only received a prostatectomy for prostate cancer and men who had no history of cancer,” He also said that the impairment was seen within 6 months of starting ADT and persisted for 12 months post treatment; it was also observed across multiple cognitive function tests.

It is very reasonable for us to assume that ADT for men with advanced prostate cancer, post primary treatment, experience the same negative cognitive side effects.