title: Rapid drop in serum testosterone after bilateral subcapsular orchiectomy.
abstract: Bilateral subcapsular orchiectomy was performed in six patients with metastatic prostatic carcinoma. In these patients the serum levels of testosterone were determined serially up to twenty-four hours. Castrate levels of testosterone were achieved in about two and one-half hours. This is the first published report of such a rapid decrease in serum testosterone. Castrate levels of serum testosterone using the luteinizing hormone releasing hormone (LH-RH) agonists are achieved in fourteen to twenty-one days. The relative cost of orchiectomy and LH-RH agonists, for thirty-six months, was $2,042.00 and $12,780.00, respectively. LH-RH agonists may be effective for only a year. Urologists are urged to continue using bilateral subcapsular orchiectomy and not use LH-RH agonists in the management of metastatic prostatic carcinoma.
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgery, Presbyterian Hospital, Whittier, California.
authors.forename: J A
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Arcadi
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D002277:Carcinoma / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000556:secondary / Q000601:surgery*; D007987:Gonadotropin-Releasing Hormone / Q000627:therapeutic use; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009919:Orchiectomy / Q000379:methods*; D011471:Prostatic Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000601:surgery*; D011863:Radioimmunoassay; D013739:Testosterone / Q000097:blood*
chemical_list: D007987:Gonadotropin-Releasing Hormone; D013739:Testosterone