Hormones used to treat men with prostate cancer may save a man's life but impair his mental abilities according to a new study published today in the journal 'Cancer.'

The effects of the hormone treatments which are used to prevent prostate cancer was studied on 23 Finnish men. Six months later, the patients given the treatments showed a decline in visual memory and the ability to remember and recognize numbers. The study did show, however, an improvement in verbal fluency after one year of such treatments.

Some experts were concerned that the study was too small to have a real benefit. In general, most of us would agree that it [hormonal therapy] is a very safe treatment,' said Susan F. Slovin, a medical oncologist at Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center in New York. 'A small paper such as this can prevent patients from going on medications that are good for them. The benefits far outweigh the risks,' she added.

The bottom line appears to be that patients should be aware of this possible side effect and attempt to deal with it accordingly. The treatments themselves, however, still save the lives of men by preventing prostate cancer.