Androgen-deprivation therapy for prostate cancer increases the chances of survival for patients affected by the disease by 50%, according to a new study. The therapy is usually applied to patients in an advanced stage of the disease. Its action is expressed in lowering the levels of male sex hormones that cause prostate cancer. After its implementation within 6 months, minimal side effects are observed, the scientists found. The study has two clear messages for current clinical practice. The first confirms that the therapy significantly reduces mortality after radiation therapy in patients with high-risk prostate cancer. On the other hand, it helps to remove uncertainty about the duration of the method and strongly suggests that it should be applied for at least six months, says Chris Parker of the West London Cancer Hospital. Until now, it was believed that the long-term implementation of hormone therapy causes a risk of serious side effects, the specialist specifies. According to the results, within a decade, only 11% mortality was reported in patients treated simultaneously with radiation and androgen-depriving therapy, in comparison with a 22% mortality rate in men who did not undergo the method. The results of the study were published in The Lancet Oncology magazine.