Androgen deprivation therapy, diabetes and poor physical performance status increase fracture risk in Chinese men treated for prostate cancer

We investigated the fracture risk after androgen deprivation therapy (ADT) for prostate cancer in the Chinese population. All Chinese prostate cancer patients who were treated primarily by radical prostatectomy or radiotherapy, with or without further ADT, from year 2000 to 2009 were reviewed. We compared the fracture risk in patients who were given ADT (ADT group) with those who were not given any ADT (non-ADT group). Potential risk factors including age, diabetes mellitus, hypertension, hyperlipidemia, ischemic heart disease and performance status were reviewed. The fracture risk was analyzed with Kaplan-Meier and multivariate Cox regression analyses. Our cohort consisted of 200 patients in the non-ADT group and 252 patients in the ADT group. The ADT group was shown to have higher fracture risk (p=0.036) upon Kaplan-Meier analysis. Upon multivariate Cox regression analyses, diabetes mellitus (HR 4.39, 95% CI 1.08-17.83, p=0.039), poor performance status (HR 3.14, 95% CI 1.24-8.00, p=0.016) and the use of ADT (HR 4.89, 95% CI 1.03-23.17, p=0.045) were associated with increased fracture risk. In conclusion, the fracture risk should be considered while deciding on ADT in Chinese men, especially in diabetic patients with poor performance status.