According to a new study, some men in Ohio and throughout the United States with prostate cancer may face a higher risk of Alzheimer’s disease as a result of one particular type of treatment. Androgen deprivation therapy may make patients twice as likely to develop the disease.
According to researchers, the study suggests an association between ADT and Alzheimer’s but does not prove it. However, they urge patients and their doctors to consider the results in the context of overall treatment.
The study was done by researchers at Stanford University and the University of Pennsylvania who examined medical records for nearly 17,000 men with prostate cancer. Researchers matched the 2,397 men who were treated with ADT with a control group who did not receive the same treatment. Men treated with ADT for more than a year had an even higher likelihood than the overall group that received the treatment.
In some cases, people may feel that a course of treatment constitutes medical malpractice. They might also be misdiagnosed or suffer a delayed diagnosis or from other medical negligence. This may lead to a poorer prognosis. If this is the case, those patients may want to speak with an attorney about the advisability of filing a lawsuit against the health care facility or practitioners that were responsible. Sometimes, a medical facility may offer a settlement out of court. However, if the case goes to court, a consideration of whether the plaintiff received a reasonable standard of medical care will be made. If it is found that the medical professionals are negligent, the patient may receive compensation that covers medical expenses and other costs.