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Comment by go_prodev | Hacker News Reader

Is ADT in any way similar to finasteride (anti-androgen for hair loss and prostate enlargement)?

That was also my first question. I looked at the original paper [1], the medication names they used to identify individuals on androgen deprivation therapy are listed in the 'eAppendix':

Leuprolide, goserelin, triptorelin, histrelin, Degarelix, flutamide, bicalutamide, nilutamide, Enzalutamide, Cyproterone acetate, Lupron, Zoladex, Trelstar, Vantas, Firmagon, Eulexin, Casodex, Nilandron, Xtandi, Nizoral, Androcur, Eligard, Cyprostat, Anandron, Flutamin, Cytomid, Cosudex, Calutide, Kalumid

So relax, finasteride does not seem to be on the list.

[1] http://jamanetwork.com/journals/jamaoncology/fullarticle/256... (probably paywalled)

I'm on Cyproterone Acetate. Does it say anywhere in the paper if certain anti-androgens are worse than others?

No, all of the medications seem to be lumped together.

> Leuprolide, goserelin, triptorelin, histrelin, Degarelix, flutamide, bicalutamide, nilutamide, Enzalutamide, Cyproterone acetate, Lupron, Zoladex, Trelstar, Vantas, Firmagon, Eulexin, Casodex, Nilandron, Xtandi, Nizoral, Androcur, Eligard, Cyprostat, Anandron, Flutamin, Cytomid, Cosudex, Calutide, Kalumid

The number of medications in this list (29) is rather striking. Assuming the FDA approved all of these drugs to treat a single condition, this treatment must be VERY profitable!

It's annoying how the press release manages to have links for the institutions involved, the authors, various initiatives and departments, but not for the paper itself. Surely encouraging folks to read the work should be as important as trumpeting the fact that the work was done.

ADT is Androgen deprivation therapy, a superset of using anti-androgens.

And Finasteride is only kinda an anti-androgen itself. It blocks conversion of some Testosterone to DHT, which is another androgen which is more potent WRT hair loss, body hair growth, and prostate problems, but I believe less potent WRT other effects of androgens.

5 alpha reductase inhibiters like Finasterade slow the conversion of Testosterone to DHT, which is a more potent androgen. This conversion occurs in the skin, liver, prostate and retina.

Using a 5aR inhibiter mostly affects those organs alone. There would be a slight decrease in effective Testosterone levels and these drugs can sometimes affect libido and erectile function. But the reduction will be minor compared to hormone ablation (HAT), which takes you close to zero.

HAT affects you in many ways: mood, bone loss, muscle loss are the main ones. To which we can now add dementia.

Finasteride doesn't affect testosterone, but DHT, so maybe not?

(It affects conversion of Test. in DHT)

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