The present study evaluated the prevalence, severity, and psychosocial correlates of hot flashes in men receiving androgen deprivation therapy for prostate cancer. Seventy-two men completed a detailed packet of questionnaires prior to the initiation of treatment and again three-months later. Results indicated that the extent to which hot flashes interfered with patients' daily functioning significantly contributed to changes in depressive symptoms. Changes in fatigue were found to mediate the relationship between hot-flash related interference and depressive symptomatology, suggesting that increases in fatigue were responsible for the concurrent increases in symptoms of depression. The coping strategy of catastrophizing moderated the relationship between hot flash-related interference and cancer-related distress, such that levels of cancer-related distress in men reporting greater use of catastrophizing were dependent upon levels of hot flash-related interference. Men who did not engage in catastrophizing reported uniformly low levels of cancer-related distress regardless of the extent to which hot flashes interfered with daily functioning. Expected relationships between hot flashes and sexual functioning or masculine self-image were not confirmed. These findings provide valuable information regarding the experience of hot flashes in this population. Results indicate that reduction of fatigue may lead to reductions in depressive symptoms, while reducing patients' use of catastrophizing may alleviate cancer-related distress.

Objectives: Men who receive androgen deprivation therapy (ADT) for prostate cancer (PCa) are at risk of several adverse effects that can be detrimental to both their physical and mental health. Common adverse effects include weight gain, muscle wasting, cardiovascular morbidity, fatigue and impaired quality of life (QOL). This study tested whether a combined aerobic and resistance exercise program can alleviate some of these symptoms in men receiving ADT. Design: Men with PCa, aged 50-80 years, receiving ADT were recruited to participate in this prospective randomized controlled trial. Subjects were assigned to a usual care group (UCG) or an exercise intervention group (EIG). The EIG completed a 16 week combined aerobic and resistance exercise program. Outcomes measures were assessed at baseline, 16 weeks, and 24 weeks and included: cardio-respiratory fitness; muscle strength and endurance; body composition; and reports of QOL, fatigue, mood, partner relations, and exercise behaviour. Results: Fifteen men were recruited to this study, but two participants in the EIG did not finish the study leaving the EIG with an n = 6 and the UCG with an n = 7. The exercise program did not lead to changes in weight, BMI or body fat. There was a small, close to significant, increase in muscle mass in the EIG over the intervention period (p = 0.052). This is encouraging as it demonstrates that exercise can counteract the catabolic effects of ADT. Interestingly, cardio-respiratory fitness improved over the course of the study for both groups. Muscular fitness, however, improved only for the EIG. There was a significant difference in chest press strength (p = 0.041) and leg press strength was bordering significance (p = 0.058). Unexpectedly, QOL declined for both groups during the intervention (p = 0.029). Participants in both groups also reported increased levels of fatigue from baseline to 24 weeks, although these changes were not significant (p = 0.586). Mood worsened over the study period for both groups from baseline to 16 weeks, but this increase in anxiety and depression was reduced at the follow-up period. These changes, too, were not significant (p = 0.364). Reports of partner relationships trended towards lower scores from baseline to 16 weeks. The men’s report in both groups and the women’s report in the EIG improved at the 24 week mark, but women in the UCG experienced further decline. Surprisingly, participants in both groups reported increases in exercise behaviour from baseline to 24 weeks. This could account for the lack of difference found in many of the measures. The power of this study was 0.22. Conclusion: Although this was a small study, it showed that a combined aerobic and resistance exercise program can have some positive benefits for men with PCa who are receiving ADT. Larger trials are needed to further examine the role of exercise in ameliorating the side effects of ADT, particularly in the areas of mood and partner relationships.

Prostate cancer is frequently diagnosed in elderly men and, despite the largely unproven survival benefits of treatment, the majority receive treatment. Treatment options include surgery, radiation, and/or androgen deprivation therapy (ADT). Risks associated with treatment include hip fracture. Current understanding suggests that hip fracture is a frequent cause of morbidity and mortality in the elderly, and both radiation treatment and ADT can increase the risk of hip fracture. It is important to understand these risks so they can be minimized and the morbidity of treatment reduced. The objectives of this study were to estimate the risk of hip fracture as a major adverse outcome of treatment for prostate cancer among elderly men. The specific objectives include estimating: 1) the risk of hip fracture and the dose-risk relationship among patients receiving curative radiation treatment, and 2) the risk of hip fracture associated with palliative ADT and relapsed ADT compared to curative ADT. The cancer diagnosis and treatment records of 32,673 men were linked to their hospital discharge abstracts. The risk of hip fracture was estimated using Cox regression and the estimates were adjusted for age, comorbidity, income, and year of diagnosis. The risk of hip fracture was 59% higher among men who received curative radiation when compared to men who received curative surgery. The risk of hip fracture fell by 6% with each one Gy increase in radiation dose between 55 and 81 Gy Biological Equivalent Dose to the hip-bone. The risk of hip fracture for subjects in the palliative ADT and relapsed ADT categories was 5.98 and 5.77 times the risk in comparison to men who received curative ADT treatment. Curative radiation treatment is associated with an increased risk of hip fracture when compared to curative surgery. The risk of hip fracture is greater with ADT for palliation and relapsed cancer than with curative treatment. Current treatments for prostate cancer contain significant risk of hip fracture for elderly men and these risks should be considered as part of the treatment decision.

Advanced prostate cancer (PCa) patients are offered androgen deprivation therapy (ADT) to control their cancer’s growth. ADT impairs sexual function and the sleep patterns of ADT patients. Since ADT deprives patients of estrogen, and supplemental estrogen reduces such problems in menopausal women, I studied whether administering estrogen reduces these problems for castrated male rats as a model for PCa patients on ADT. First, I tested how early versus late estradiol treatment after castration influenced rats’ sexual behaviour. Estradiol increases mounting behaviour to comparable levels regardless of when the treatment was started after castration, suggesting that estrogen’s ability to restore male sexual interest is insensitive to a delay since castration. Secondly, to understand the biological basis of these behavioural effects, I examined brain and muscle tissues from the same animals. Specifically, I compared changes in 1) estrogen receptors (ERs) and c-Fos protein (a neuronal activation marker) levels in brain areas controlling sex behavior; 2) ERs levels in pelvic floor muscles, important for erection; and 3) ERs levels in the hippocampus and prefrontal cortex. Prolonged castration increases ER? levels in the preoptic area (POA), a key brain area that regulates mating behaviour, and estradiol treatment reduced these effects. In the POA, mating-induced c-Fos expression was not affected by estradiol regardless of when the treatment began post-castration. Estrogen may upregulate ERs in pelvic floor muscles, and downregulate ERs in the hippocampus and prefrontal cortex, depending on administration time after castration. These findings suggest that mating activates POA neurons, and this activation induces mounting only in the presence of estrogen. Additionally, the duration after castration influences ER autoregulation in the pelvic floor muscles, hippocampus, and prefrontal cortex in response to estradiol. Lastly, I studied how estrogen modulates the sleep-wake behaviour of orchiectomized rats. Estradiol promotes baseline wakefulness during the dark period and prevents castration-induced impairment in sleep recovery after sleep deprivation. These findings suggest that estradiol may positively influence the sleep-wake behaviour of castrated males. Collectively, I demonstrate that estrogen administered to castrated rats improves sexual and sleep functions. It may similarly improve the quality of life of PCa patients on ADT.

Prostate cancer is frequently diagnosed in elderly men and, despite the largely unproven survival benefits of treatment, the majority receive treatment. Treatment options include surgery, radiation, and/or androgen deprivation therapy (ADT). Risks associated with treatment include hip fracture. Current understanding suggests that hip fracture is a frequent cause of morbidity and mortality in the elderly, and both radiation treatment and ADT can increase the risk of hip fracture. It is important to understand these risks so they can be minimized and the morbidity of treatment reduced. The objectives of this study were to estimate the risk of hip fracture as a major adverse outcome of treatment for prostate cancer among elderly men. The specific objectives include estimating: 1) the risk of hip fracture and the dose-risk relationship among patients receiving curative radiation treatment, and 2) the risk of hip fracture associated with palliative ADT and relapsed ADT compared to curative ADT. The cancer diagnosis and treatment records of 32,673 men were linked to their hospital discharge abstracts. The risk of hip fracture was estimated using Cox regression and the estimates were adjusted for age, comorbidity, income, and year of diagnosis. The risk of hip fracture was 59% higher among men who received curative radiation when compared to men who received curative surgery. The risk of hip fracture fell by 6% with each one Gy increase in radiation dose between 55 and 81 Gy Biological Equivalent Dose to the hip-bone. The risk of hip fracture for subjects in the palliative ADT and relapsed ADT categories was 5.98 and 5.77 times the risk in comparison to men who received curative ADT treatment. Curative radiation treatment is associated with an increased risk of hip fracture when compared to curative surgery. The risk of hip fracture is greater with ADT for palliation and relapsed cancer than with curative treatment. Current treatments for prostate cancer contain significant risk of hip fracture for elderly men and these risks should be considered as part of the treatment decision.

Master of Science / Department of Kinesiology / Carl Ade / Background: Androgen Deprivation Therapy (ADT) is a commonly used treatment for prostate cancer with controversy currently surrounding its association with long-term cardiovascular disease risk. Therefore, the aim of the current investigation was to non-invasively measure left ventricular mechanics at rest and during submaximal exercise in human prostate cancer survivors with and without a history of ADT. Methods: Eighteen prostate cancer survivors, 9 with a history of ADT and 9 matched (1:1) non-ADT controls, completed the protocol. Standard and tissue Doppler echocardiography were used to evaluate left ventricular systolic and diastolic function at rest and during submaximal cycling exercise. Results: At rest, there were no differences between groups. Ejection fraction was not different between groups at rest or during exercise (rest p=0.7; exercise p=0.8). During exercise, systolic left ventricular longitudinal strain and strain rate failed to increase in the ADT group (p=0.4; p=0.07), but significantly increased in the non-ADT group (p=0.03; p=0.02). During exercise, systolic strain was significantly different between groups (p=0.02). Diastolic longitudinal strain increased with exercise in both groups (p=0.003; p=0.003). In the ADT group during exercise, mitral valve deceleration time was not significantly different from rest (p=0.8) and was slower compared to non-ADT (p=0.03). Conclusion: In prostate cancer survivors with a history of ADT, there are significant abnormalities of left ventricular systolic function that become apparent with exercise. These findings may hold significant value beyond the standard resting characterization of ventricular function, in particular as part of a risk-stratification strategy.

Prostate cancer is frequently diagnosed in elderly men and, despite the largely unproven survival benefits of treatment, the majority receive treatment. Treatment options include surgery, radiation, and/or androgen deprivation therapy (ADT). Risks associated with treatment include hip fracture. Current understanding suggests that hip fracture is a frequent cause of morbidity and mortality in the elderly, and both radiation treatment and ADT can increase the risk of hip fracture. It is important to understand these risks so they can be minimized and the morbidity of treatment reduced. The objectives of this study were to estimate the risk of hip fracture as a major adverse outcome of treatment for prostate cancer among elderly men. The specific objectives include estimating: 1) the risk of hip fracture and the dose-risk relationship among patients receiving curative radiation treatment, and 2) the risk of hip fracture associated with palliative ADT and relapsed ADT compared to curative ADT. The cancer diagnosis and treatment records of 32,673 men were linked to their hospital discharge abstracts. The risk of hip fracture was estimated using Cox regression and the estimates were adjusted for age, comorbidity, income, and year of diagnosis. The risk of hip fracture was 59% higher among men who received curative radiation when compared to men who received curative surgery. The risk of hip fracture fell by 6% with each one Gy increase in radiation dose between 55 and 81 Gy Biological Equivalent Dose to the hip-bone. The risk of hip fracture for subjects in the palliative ADT and relapsed ADT categories was 5.98 and 5.77 times the risk in comparison to men who received curative ADT treatment. Curative radiation treatment is associated with an increased risk of hip fracture when compared to curative surgery. The risk of hip fracture is greater with ADT for palliation and relapsed cancer than with curative treatment. Current treatments for prostate cancer contain significant risk of hip fracture for elderly men and these risks should be considered as part of the treatment decision. / Medicine, Faculty of / Population and Public Health (SPPH), School of / Graduate

This systematic review's goal is to evaluate the efficacy of vitamin D supplementation in helping to manage the nutritional needs of patients diagnosed with prostate cancer. A systematic literature search following the PRISMA guidelines using Scopus, PubMed, and Cochrane databases was conducted to review randomized controlled trials and interventional studies up to 2023. The search strategy targeted randomized controlled trials and intervention studies. The selection process involved screening for study characteristics (study design), participant demographics (prostate cancer patients receiving treatment), intervention details (vitamin D assessment methods, dosages), outcome measures (progression, prognosis, quality of life), and risk estimates (hazard ratios, odds ratios, relative risks) along with covariates adjusted for in the analysis. Data analysis and synthesis included studies assessing vitamin D supplementation's impact on prostate-specific antigen (PSA) levels, tumor progression, osteomalacia, overall survival rates, and quality of life assessments. The literature search yielded a total of 3575 documents. After a preliminary screening of titles and abstracts, 34 full-text studies were examined. In total, nine studies were determined to meet the inclusion criteria. The findings of nine studies suggest a modest but significant association between vitamin D supplementation, reduced PSA levels, slower progression of localized prostate cancer, and improved bone loss. Due to the various treatment options, the overall effects of supplementation on advanced prostate cancer and overall survival were inconclusive. However, this research highlights the potential role of vitamin D in prostate cancer management.

abstract: The phycologist, M. R. Droop, studied vitamin B12 limitation in the flagellate Monochrysis lutheri and concluded that its specific growth rate depended on the concentration of the vitamin within the cell; i.e. the cell quota of the vitamin B12. The Droop model provides a mathematical expression to link growth rate to the intracellular concentration of a limiting nutrient. Although the Droop model has been an important modeling tool in ecology, it has only recently been applied to study cancer biology. Cancer cells live in an ecological setting, interacting and competing with normal and other cancerous cells for nutrients and space, and evolving and adapting to their environment. Here, the Droop equation is used to model three cancers. First, prostate cancer is modeled, where androgen is considered the limiting nutrient since most tumors depend on androgen for proliferation and survival. The model's accuracy for predicting the biomarker for patients on intermittent androgen deprivation therapy is tested by comparing the simulation results to clinical data as well as to an existing simpler model. The results suggest that a simpler model may be more beneficial for a predictive use, although further research is needed in this field prior to implementing mathematical models as a predictive method in a clinical setting. Next, two chronic myeloid leukemia models are compared that consider Imatinib treatment, a drug that inhibits the constitutively active tyrosine kinase BCR-ABL. Both models describe the competition of leukemic and normal cells, however the first model also describes intracellular dynamics by considering BCR-ABL as the limiting nutrient. Using clinical data, the differences in estimated parameters between the models and the capacity for each model to predict drug resistance are analyzed. Last, a simple model is presented that considers ovarian tumor growth and tumor induced angiogenesis, subject to on and off anti-angiogenesis treatment. In this environment, the cell quota represents the intracellular concentration of necessary nutrients provided through blood supply. Mathematical analysis of the model is presented and model simulation results are compared to pre-clinical data. This simple model is able to fit both on- and off-treatment data using the same biologically relevant parameters. / Dissertation/Thesis / Doctoral Dissertation Applied Mathematics 2015

abstract: Efforts to treat prostate cancer have seen an uptick, as the world’s most commoncancer in men continues to have increasing global incidence. Clinically, metastatic prostate cancer is most commonly treated with hormonal therapy. The idea behind hormonal therapy is to reduce androgen production, which prostate cancer cells require for growth. Recently, the exploration of the synergistic effects of the drugs used in hormonal therapy has begun. The aim was to build off of these recent advancements and further refine the synergistic drug model. The advancements I implement come by addressing biological shortcomings and improving the model’s internal mechanistic structure. The drug families being modeled, anti-androgens, and gonadotropin-releasing hormone analogs, interact with androgen production in a way that is not completely understood in the scientific community. Thus the models representing the drugs show progress through their ability to capture their effect on serum androgen. Prostate-specific antigen is the primary biomarker for prostate cancer and is generally how population models on the subject are validated. Fitting the model to clinical data and comparing it to other clinical models through the ability to fit and forecast prostate-specific antigen and serum androgen is how this improved model achieves validation. The improved model results further suggest that the drugs’ dynamics should be considered in adaptive therapy for prostate cancer. / Dissertation/Thesis / Masters Thesis Mathematics 2020