ATTENTION MEN: This Cancer Treatment is KILLING You!

Well, folks, I have more bad news to report on one of the go-to treatments for prostate cancer.

A few weeks ago, I told you about how it can increase your risk of dementia by 20% and the risk of Alzheimer’s by 14%.

And it only gets worse from there…

Because a new study shows that men with heart disease who receive this particular treatment are more than 50% more likely to die within six months.

That’s why it’s so important for you to know your options.

The popular therapy is called androgen deprivation therapy, and it works by suppressing the body’s production of male hormones (called androgens).

Because hormones like testosterone can fuel cancer, reducing your hormones is supposed to stop them from feeding the cancer.

But as with most drugs, they come with a price.

A few weeks ago, we learned that the price was an increased risk of brain-robbing conditions like dementia and Alzheimer’s.

Today, a recent study has shown that it could be deadly for men with heart disease.

Hormone treatments had already been shown to increase blood sugar, cholesterol, and body fat—all of which increase a man’s risk of heart disease.

But in a study published in European Urology (and funded by the U.S. National Institutes of Health), researchers wanted to take a closer look at two of the newer androgen drugs: Zytiga and Xtandi.

Compared to men without heart disease, those with three or more cardiovascular conditions were about 50% more likely to die within six months of treatment.

These included factors like atherosclerosis (hardening of the arteries), atrial fibrillation (irregular heartbeat), and heart failure.

It’s no wonder the connection exists. These drugs are known to increase blood pressure, contribute to fluid buildup, and increase blood levels of sodium and potassium.

There’s also the possibility that the androgen treatment could interact with heart medications.

That’s a heart attack waiting to happen!

Shouldn’t the initial clinical trials have found this connection? The answer is that they likely WOULD have… if they had included people with heart disease.

That’s right the trials on these two drugs EXCLUDED people with significant heart problems. As if men with prostate cancer wouldn’t also have heart disease!

Ridiculous.

Of course, as with the study I told you about earlier in the month, the researchers don’t recommend avoiding androgen therapies.

But if you’re a man with prostate cancer AND heart disease, you deserve to know your risks. That way you can talk to your doctor about alternatives.