Reproductive Endocrinology

SUN-143 - Pretreatment Testosterone Levels and Severity of Adverse Effects of Androgen Deprivation Therapy in Men with Prostate Cancer

Sunday, June 14, 2026

9:00 AM - 4:00 PM CT

Location: ENDOExpo; Poster Floor

Abstract Poster Presenter(s)

Thiago Gagliano-Juca, MD, PhD

Clinical Fellow
Brigham and Women's Hospital Endocrine Fellowship Program
Boston, MA, United States

Co-Author(s)

MB

Milena Braga, MD, MSC

Brigham and Women's Hospital
Boston, MA, United States
TG

Thomas G. Travison, PhD

Hebrew SeniorLife
Boston, Massachusetts, United States
Marie E. McDonnell, MD

Diabetes Section Chief
Brigham and Women's Hospital
Arlington, MA, United States
DC

Donald C. Simonson, MD

Brigham and Women's Hospital
Boston, Massachusetts, United States
EB

Elizabeth Borwick, BS

Brigham and Women's Hospital
Boston, Massachusetts, United States
HK

Hussein Kafel, BS

Brigham and Women's Hospital
Boston, Massachusetts, United States
TS

Thomas Storer, PhD

Brigham and Women's Hospital
Boston, MA, United States

Senior Author/Primary Investigator(s)

SB

Shehzad Basaria, MD

Professor
Brigham and Women's Hospital
Chestnut Hill, MA, United States

Disclosure(s):

Thiago Gagliano-Juca, MD, PhD: No financial relationships to disclose

Shehzad Basaria, MD: No financial relationships to disclose

Background: The profound androgen deficiency that occurs during androgen deprivation therapy (ADT) for prostate cancer (PCa) is associated with several adverse effects, including rapid loss of lean mass and gain in fat mass, deterioration in physical function, decrease in energy levels, and sexual dysfunction, contributing to reduced quality of life. Patients with higher pretreatment testosterone (T) levels who plan to start ADT often express concerns about experiencing increased severity of these side effects during ADT, but this association has not been studied previously.

Objectives: To assess the association of pretreatment T levels with changes in body composition, physical function, sexual function, and energy in men undergoing 24 weeks of ADT.

Methods: Thirty-nine eugonadal men were assessed at baseline and after 24 weeks of ADT. Men with diabetes and glucocorticoid use were excluded. Body composition was assessed using dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry. Energy and vitality were evaluated using the Hypogonadism Energy Diary, and sexual function was assessed using the Sexual Arousal, Interest, and Drive scale. Physical function was assessed using the PF-10 subscale of the Short Form-36 Health Survey. Total and free T levels were measured using liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry and equilibrium dialysis, respectively. The association between pretreatment T levels and variables of interest was tested using linear regression analysis.

Results: At 24 weeks, the mean serum total T declined from 471±157 ng/dL to 7.7 ± 4.5 ng/dL and mean free T declined from 60 ± 17 pg/mL to 0.82 ± 0.50 pg/mL. Total fat mass increased by 3.7 ± 3.0 kg (p < 0.0001) while total lean mass decreased by 2.2 ± 2.7 kg (p < 0.0001). Although participants experienced a decline in physical function, overall energy, and sexual desire, pretreatment T levels were not associated with the magnitude of worsening in any of these outcomes.

Conclusion: Pretreatment T levels were not associated with the magnitude of adverse effects in men with PCa undergoing 24 weeks of ADT. These findings allow clinicians and patients to make informed decisions regarding treatment.

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