A meta-analysis finds testosterone recovery rates vary by time and drug class in prostate cancer treatment.
Introduction Androgen deprivation therapy (ADT) is crucial in treating prostate cancer (PCa), yet many patients suffer from low testosterone (T) long after treatment ends. Low T leads to adverse health outcomes. Rates of T recovery post-ADT vary widely in studies. Thus, we performed a systematic review and meta-analysis to evaluate T recovery after ADT cessation. Methods We searched PubMed, Embase, and Cochrane databases in November 2024 for prospective studies on T recovery post-ADT, defined as T levels ≥240 ng/dL (≥ 8.32 nmol/L), assessed at intervals (≤ 6 months, 6–24 months, ≥ 24 months). Studies were included regardless of definitive treatment modality. We pooled event prevalence and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) for binary outcomes. Subgroup analyses by ADT drug class and meta-regression for ADT duration and age impact on T recovery were conducted using R version 4.4.1 with a random-effects model. Results A total of 12 prospective trials with 1264 patients (median age 59-77) were included. Pooled analysis showed T recovery in 36.88% of patients at ≤6 months (95% CI: 21.95—54.82), 64.15% at 6-24 months (95% CI: 49.41—76.63), and 45.06% at ≥24 months (95% CI: 30.76—60.23). Subgroup analyses revealed significant differences by ADT drug class at all intervals. Meta-regression found no impact of ADT duration (p = 0.43), nor age (p = 0.61) on recovery rates. Conclusions Our analysis indicates that T recovery rates vary by assessment timepoint and is significantly influenced by ADT drug class. Neither ADT duration nor age correlated with T recovery. These findings underscore the need for standardized definitions and further research on long-term ADT outcomes and T recovery post-ADT cessation. Financing No conflict.
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Amorim et al. (2026) studied this question.
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