OBJECTIVE: To investigate whether prostate cancer patients receiving leuprolide demonstrated objective cognitive decline accompanied by a change in plasma levels of amyloid-β.
METHODS: Between November 19, 2003, and July 21, 2008, we prospectively enrolled 50 patients with biochemical recurrence of prostate cancer and measured plasma amyloid-β peptide 40 and amyloid-β peptide 42 levels with sandwich enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay at baseline before the first leuprolide injection and at 2, 4, and 12 months. The Mini-Mental State Examination was used to assess 49 patients at baseline and at subsequent visits, and 24 were also assessed by the California Verbal Learning Test-Short Form.
RESULTS: Patients were a median age of 71 years (range, 59-89 years). Compared with baseline levels, plasma amyloid-β peptide 40 levels were increased at 2 months (P = .04) and 4 months (P = .02). Age was correlated with plasma amyloid-β peptide 40 levels (P = .003) and likely accounted for this relationship. Plasma amyloid-β peptide 42 and performance on cognitive tasks did not differ from baseline, but memory measures improved slightly after baseline, most likely due to a practice effect.
CONCLUSION: Leuprolide therapy was not associated with a decline in cognition or memory function or with elevated plasma amyloid short-term. Larger studies are needed to confirm these findings.
Written by:
Tan WW, Heckman MG, Vishnu P, Crook JE, Younkin LH, Covil EG, Ferman TJ, Graff-Radford NR, Younkin SG, Smallridge RC, Wehle MJ, Buskirk SJ. Are you the author?
Division of Hematology, Oncology, Cancer Center, GU Oncology, Mayo Clinic, Jacksonville, FL.
Reference: Urology. 2013 Jan;81(1):150-4.
doi: 10.1016/j.urology.2012.08.066
PubMed Abstract
PMID: 23273081
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