Effect of Dutasteride on the Detection of Prostate Cancer in Men with Benign Prostatic Hyperplasia

The document reports on a study examining the effect of dutasteride on prostate cancer detection in men with benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH). A total of 4,325 men with BPH but without a history of prostate cancer were randomized to receive either 0.5 mg/day of dutasteride or a placebo for 24 months. The study found that the cumulative incidence of prostate cancer as an adverse event was significantly lower in the dutasteride group compared to the placebo group at both 24 months (1.1% vs. 1.9%, P = 0.025) and 27 months (1.2% vs. 2.5%, P = 0.002). The results led to the initiation of the Reduction by Dutasteride of Prostate Cancer Events (REDUCE) study to further investigate if dutasteride treatment decreases the incidence and progression of prostate cancer.