Analysis of the lipid profile and atherogenic risk during androgen deprivation therapy in prostate cancer patients.

Objective: To analyse changes in lipid profiles observed in patients receiving androgen deprivation therapy (ADT) and to evaluate differences between medical castration and maximal androgen blockade (MAB). Material and Methods: Serum levels of total cholesterol (TC), high-density lipoproteins (HDL), low-density lipoproteins (LDL) and triglycerides (TG) were prospectively evaluated in 33 patients with locally advanced or metastatic prostate cancer treated with ADT. The median age was 73.4 years. Serum lipids were measured at baseline and thereafter at 6 and 12 months. The modality of ADT was medical, with 3 months depot LHRH agonist, in 11 patients and MAB, by addition of 50 mg/day of bicalutamide, in 22 patients. Results: TC increased from 210 to 227 mg/dl (p 0.05). Conclusions: Changes observed in TC and LDL after 6 months of ADT were transitory. No significant differences were observed according to the modality of ADT.