Prostate Cancer Treatment Increasing Colon Cancer Risk

A recent study has shown that men undergoing prostate cancer treatment have a higher risk of developing colon cancer. Prostate cancer is one of the highest occurring cancers in middle aged men. This news might come as a huge shock to the thousands of men undergoing hormonal therapies for treatment of prostate cancer. Companies such as Merck (NYSE:MRK) are prominent hormonal drug manufacturers for treatment of prostate cancer. Leuprorelin and Buserelin are some of the drugs produced by Merck that act on the pituitary glands that deprive androgen to the prostate gland. Apart from the known side effects such as obesity and diabetes, colorectal cancer could be the worst side effect of hormonal treatment.
The research was carried out at the University of Michigan to find the connection between these two cancers. Debate is going on whether this is because of the androgen therapy or because of the prostate specific antigen tests that need to be carried out occasionally. Usually hormonal therapy is combined with radiation to reduce local prostate cancer. Further research needs to be carried out at the hormonal levels to find out the exact effect that hormonal treatment has on the colon that makes it more vulnerable to develop cancerous cells.

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