According to a new study on 30,642 Swedish men with either locally advanced prostate cancer or prostate cancer that had spread (metastatic cancer), while hormone therapy in the treatment of advanced prostate cancer increases the risk of heart disease, there are certain types of hormone therapies that appear safer than others.

Presented at the European Cancer Organization meeting in Berlin, the study described the various kinds of hormone therapies in use, for example, removing testicles in order to eliminate the main source of testosterone production; gonadotropin-releasing hormone agonist injections for reducing the testicles production of testosterone; including anti-androgen pills for blocking testosterone from attaching itself to the prostate cells.

Followed for an average of three years, the men many of whom were taking only one treatment, while 38% were taking two types of drugs, were monitored for ischemic heart disease, heart attacks, arrhythmia, and heart failure.

The researchers found that prostate cancer patients receiving hormone therapy treatement seemed to have an elevated risk of developing all types of heart problems, including being more likely to die from these problems.

Researchers found hormone therapy increased the risk of hearth attack by 24% and 28% for fatal heart attacks, there was a 19% increased risk of arrhythmia and 5% increased risk of fatal arrhythmia, a 31% increased risk of ischemic heart disease, and a 26% increased risk of heart failure, there was a 21% increased risk of dying from heart disease, a 26% increased risk of death from heart failure, all of which began a few months after the hormone therapy treatment was started.

Findings which researchers say suggest doctors must consider heart-related side effects before prescribing hormone therapy for prostate cancer patients, even referring patients to a cardiologist before beginning hormone therapy.