Survivorship Enhancement in men with prostate cancer At Risk for poor Cognitive Health during treatment with ADT (SEARCH)

Therapeutic advances for prostate cancer (PCa) have improved survival in men with prostate cancer, creating a growing population of PCa survivors who experience prolonged exposure to androgen deprivation therapy (ADT) and are at risk for complications associated with treatment [1-9]. Mounting epidemiologic and prospective evidence suggests that ADT is associated with a measurable decline in cognitive function, likely in a currently unidentified vulnerable population of individuals in which genetic, biologic, and environmental factors combine to increase the risk of this complication [10-16]. At present, the population of PCa survivors at greatest risk of cognitive change in the setting of ADT has not been identified, and no interventions to prevent or reverse cognitive change are available. Methods to identify at-risk individuals and provide interventions to prevent cognitive decline are critical to preserving the mental health and quality of life of this population. Our primary hypothesis is that cognitive change in men with PCa receiving ADT is associated with a series of identifiable risk factors known to be associated with cognitive impairment and dementia in the general population.