Androgen deprivation therapy (ADT) is known to cause a decline in hemoglobin (Hgb), but the effect on other blood parameters is less well studied. In the lab, androgen manipulation has an effect on leukocyte counts. We evaluated the effects of androgen ablation alone on Hgb, white blood cell (WBC), granulocyte, and lymphocyte counts in 99 prostate cancer patients. In addition, since radiation therapy decreases those counts, we evaluated whether the addition of ADT makes it worse, comparing 162 patients receiving both radiation and ADT to 149 patients with radiation alone. ADT alone did significantly (but minimally) cause a drop in the Hgb (~0.5 g/dl), the WBC (-0.39 × 103/μl) and granulocyte (-0.32 × 103/μl), but not the lymphocyte counts. The combination of ADT with radiation did cause a greater decline in the Hgb levels at the end of treatment, but at follow up there was no difference. There was no additional effect on WBC, granulocytes or lymphocyte counts. Our results confirm clinically that ADT alone has minimal effect on WBC and its components and that there is no synergistic detriment of androgen ablation on the effects of radiation therapy on those cells.
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