Testosterone replacementcan be dangerous for people who haveprostate cancer. When it is used, it has to be used with caution. It can increase the risk of prostate cancer recurrence for some people who are at high risk.
Testosterone replacement is considered safe for people who are at low risk for a recurrence and who have had adequate therapy and are considered to be in remission.
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Testosterone Laboratory Blood Testing
Issues that affect blood levels of testosterone:
Making a decision about your need for testosterone therapy is not based solely on the level of testosterone in your blood. It is equally important to consider your symptoms and whether they are indicative of low testosterone levels.
Should Older Men Take Testosterone Supplements?
Testosterone Therapy and Prostate Cancer
Testosterone therapy may increase the risk of prostate cancer recurrence for some people.
Some factors that are particularly associated with a high risk of recurrence:
There are some situations when testosterone therapy would not be harmful and may be beneficial for people who have had prostate cancer.
Why the Confusion?
The confusion about using testosterone therapy in men with known prostate cancer arises because prostate cancer is not a single illness.
There are:
A single protocol would not be universally appropriate for every type of prostate cancer.
Testosterone Therapy Administration and Risks
Testosterone therapy comes in different formulations, including short or long-acting injections, creams, gels, and transdermal patches. Additionally, there is an approved oral treatment option.
There is variability in the way that men will respond to testosterone therapy. For some people, the impact of testosterone replacement is prompt and dramatic. In other men, even after an adequate trial period of six months, a noticeable benefit may be lacking.
The only way to know for sure whether you will benefit from testosterone is to give it an adequate trial period.
Testosterone replacement can increase the risk of blood clots. Long-term testosterone replacement therapy is associated with an increased risk of cardiovascular problems, including heart attacks and strokes, particularly in older males.
4 SourcesVerywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.Lab Tests Online.Testosterone.Bell MA, Campbell JD, Joice G, Sopko NA, Burnett AL.Shifting the paradigm of testosterone replacement therapy in prostate cancer.World J Mens Health. 2018;36(2):103. doi:10.5534/wjmh.170007Eisenberg ML.Testosterone replacement therapy and prostate cancer incidence.World J Mens Health. 2015;33(3):125. doi:10.5534/wjmh.2015.33.3.125Kaplan AL, Hu JC, Morgentaler A, Mulhall JP, Schulman CC, Montorsi F.Testosterone therapy in men with prostate cancer.Eur Urol. 2016;69(5):894-903. doi:10.1016/j.eururo.2015.12.005
4 Sources
Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.Lab Tests Online.Testosterone.Bell MA, Campbell JD, Joice G, Sopko NA, Burnett AL.Shifting the paradigm of testosterone replacement therapy in prostate cancer.World J Mens Health. 2018;36(2):103. doi:10.5534/wjmh.170007Eisenberg ML.Testosterone replacement therapy and prostate cancer incidence.World J Mens Health. 2015;33(3):125. doi:10.5534/wjmh.2015.33.3.125Kaplan AL, Hu JC, Morgentaler A, Mulhall JP, Schulman CC, Montorsi F.Testosterone therapy in men with prostate cancer.Eur Urol. 2016;69(5):894-903. doi:10.1016/j.eururo.2015.12.005
Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.
Lab Tests Online.Testosterone.Bell MA, Campbell JD, Joice G, Sopko NA, Burnett AL.Shifting the paradigm of testosterone replacement therapy in prostate cancer.World J Mens Health. 2018;36(2):103. doi:10.5534/wjmh.170007Eisenberg ML.Testosterone replacement therapy and prostate cancer incidence.World J Mens Health. 2015;33(3):125. doi:10.5534/wjmh.2015.33.3.125Kaplan AL, Hu JC, Morgentaler A, Mulhall JP, Schulman CC, Montorsi F.Testosterone therapy in men with prostate cancer.Eur Urol. 2016;69(5):894-903. doi:10.1016/j.eururo.2015.12.005
Lab Tests Online.Testosterone.
Bell MA, Campbell JD, Joice G, Sopko NA, Burnett AL.Shifting the paradigm of testosterone replacement therapy in prostate cancer.World J Mens Health. 2018;36(2):103. doi:10.5534/wjmh.170007
Eisenberg ML.Testosterone replacement therapy and prostate cancer incidence.World J Mens Health. 2015;33(3):125. doi:10.5534/wjmh.2015.33.3.125
Kaplan AL, Hu JC, Morgentaler A, Mulhall JP, Schulman CC, Montorsi F.Testosterone therapy in men with prostate cancer.Eur Urol. 2016;69(5):894-903. doi:10.1016/j.eururo.2015.12.005
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