A large study published in the journal JAMA Oncology suggests that hormone-blocking drugs for prostate cancer may increase men's chances for developing dementia. But researchers say the results aren't conclusive enough to recommend avoiding a treatment that can improve survival.
Cancer patients who used the drugs faced about double the chances of being diagnosed with dementia over five years, compared with nonusers. The actual risk of dementia, though, was quite low for all the men.
About half of all prostate cancer patients in developed countries receive the treatment. That includes about 500,000 U.S. men currently on the drugs.
