Alendronate’s Effect on Bone Loss in Men Treated with Hormonal Therapy for Prostate Cancer

Androgen-deprivation therapy (ADT) for patients with prostate cancer has risen dramatically during the past decade in the U.S., primarily because it is now used in patients with nonmetastatic disease (i.e., rising prostate-specific antigen [PSA]-only disease). Men with metastatic disease survived for about 2 to 4 years after diagnosis, and short-term therapy-related complications were minimal, giving ADT a good risk-benefit ratio. However, in men without overt metastatic disease, the typical natural history is substantially longer, and long-term exposure to ADT is common. Compelling evidence shows that men who receive ADT exhibit bone loss and increased fracture risk compared with men who do not receive ADT.

To investigate whether cotherapy …