title: Hormonal consequences of orchidectomy for carcinoma of the prostate. With special reference to the measurement of free testosterone in saliva and prostatic dihydrotestosterone levels.
abstract: 22 patients with metastatic carcinoma of the prostate were treated by subcapsular orchidectomy and followed by regular determinations of plasma testosterone, dihydrotestosterone, delta 4-androstenedione, dehydroepiandrosterone sulfate and testosterone estradiol-binding globulin as well as salivary testosterone, which reflects free plasma testosterone. Subcapsular orchidectomy constantly induced a dramatic and stable decrease in testicular androgens without modification of adrenal androgens or testosterone estradiol-binding globulin. Free testosterone levels vary widely for a given value of plasma testosterone, probably due to individual variations of testosterone estradiol-binding globulin. Salivary testosterone is preferable to plasma testosterone for monitoring hormonal therapy for metastatic carcinoma of the prostate. In another group of orchidectomized stage-D2 patients, obstructive symptoms motivated transurethral resection of the prostate allowing the assay of intraprostatic dihydrotestosterone which was constantly below the dihydrotestosterone level of androgen-independent tissues (below 2.5 ng/g).
authors.affiliation: Clinique Urologique, Hôpital Cochin, Paris, France.
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Boccon-Gibod
authors.forename: M H
authors.initials: MH
authors.lastname: Laudat
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Guiban
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Steg
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000728:Androgens / Q000378:metabolism; D002277:Carcinoma / Q000378:metabolism / Q000601:surgery*; D013196:Dihydrotestosterone / Q000378:metabolism*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009919:Orchiectomy; D011471:Prostatic Neoplasms / Q000378:metabolism / Q000601:surgery*; D012463:Saliva / Q000032:analysis; D012738:Sex Hormone-Binding Globulin / Q000378:metabolism; D013739:Testosterone / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D000728:Androgens; D012738:Sex Hormone-Binding Globulin; D013196:Dihydrotestosterone; D013739:Testosterone