Place of luteinizing hormone releasing hormone agonists in the treatment of prostatic cancer.
Prolonged administration of a luteinizing hormone releasing hormone agonist causes a transient increase in serum testosterone concentrations, lasting a few days, followed by a long-lasting decrease in the serum testosterone concentrations, luteinizing hormone releasing hormone agonists inducing a chemical castration equivalent to surgical castration. The effect is observed whatever the agonist employed, side-effects being limited to loss of libido, impotence and hot flushes. Moreover, chemical castration is reversible and may be repeated; therefore, this new therapy appears to be of considerable interest in the treatment of prostatic cancer. The indications for luteinizing hormone releasing hormone analogues, however, are limited to metastasized adenocarcinomas which represent the stage of the disease most frequently encountered (about 75% of the cancers treated). They constitute a method of treatment that is only palliative. The use of agonists competes directly with orchidectomy but it is costly and demanding, and it derives its indications from the fact that it is reversible, does not mutilate and is devoid of toxicity.
Dubernard
J M
JM
Edouard Herriot Hospital, Lyons, France.
Marechal
J M
JM
D007987:Gonadotropin-Releasing Hormone / Q000502:physiology*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D011471:Prostatic Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy*
D007987:Gonadotropin-Releasing Hormone