Research Alert: Primary ADT Doesn't Increase Survival Rate for Men With Prostate Cancer

Primary androgen-deprivation therapy (ADT) is widely used to treat localized prostate cancer in patients who have opted not to have surgery or radiation therapy.  However, a study published last week in the American Society of Clinical Oncology found that primary ADT did not provide any prostate cancer survival benefit to patients.  Although the study showed a small clinical benefit for a subgroup of high-risk cases, researchers concluded that primary ADT is not an effective therapy for most men.
[1] Potosky, A., "Effectiveness of Primary Androgen-Deprivation Therapy for Clinically Localized Prostate Cancer," American Society of Clinical Oncology, doi:10.1200/JCO.2013.52.5782 (March 17, 2014).
[2] Bankhead, C., "ADT: No Help as Primary Tx for Prostate Cancer,"  medpage TODAY (March 17, 2014).