Changes in muscle, fat and bone mass after 36 weeks of maximal androgen blockade for prostate cancer

OBJECTIVE To assess the effects of androgen deprivation therapy (ADT) on whole‐body and regional muscle, fat and bone mass in men with prostate cancer without metastatic bone disease. PATIENTS AND METHODS Seventy‐two men aged 44–88 years underwent spine, hip and whole‐body dual‐energy X‐ray absorptiometry scans at baseline and after 36 weeks of ADT. The change in whole‐body and regional lean mass (LM), fat mass (FM), and bone mineral content and density (BMD) were determined. In addition, the prostate specific antigen (PSA), serum testosterone and haemoglobin levels were measured, and the level of physical activity and fatigue assessed using the European Organisation for Research and Treatment of Cancer Quality of Life Questionnaire‐30. RESULTS The upper limb, lower limb, trunk and whole‐body LM decreased by a mean (sem) of 5.6 (0.6)%, 3.7 (0.5)%, 1.4 (0.5)% and 2.4 (0.4)% (P