Testosterone replacement therapy to benefit male cancer survivors

Testosterone replacement is associated with an improvement in body composition among younger male cancer survivors with low-normal morning total serum testosterone, according to a new study.

Low testosterone in cancer survivors can be due to orchidectomy or effects of chemotherapy and radiotherapy. The researchers invited young male cancer survivors aged 25–50 years with borderline low testosterone levels
(7–12 nmol/l) to participate in a placebo-controlled double-blind trial of testosterone replacement therapy.

At 6 months, the young male cancer survivors treated with testosterone had a decrease in their fat mass, on average, of 1.8 kg and an increase in lean mass of 1.5 kg.

Young adult survivors of childhood malignancy have an 8-fold-greater risk of cardiac mortality than the healthy population, and cardiovascular morbidity is one of the commonest late effects seen in cancer survivors.

A young male cancer survivor with a borderline low morning testosterone level may benefit from testosterone replacement, with an improvement in body composition with loss of fat mass and increase in muscle mass. This may potentially offset the risk of increased mortality from heart disease.

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