Recovery of serum testosterone after neoadjuvant androgen deprivation therapy and radical radiotherapy in localized prostate cancer.
OBJECTIVE
To prospectively evaluate the time-course of recovery of serum testosterone levels after a short course of luteinizing hormone-releasing hormone analogue (LHRHa) and radical radiotherapy to the prostate.


METHODS
Testosterone, luteinizing hormone (LH) and follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH) were sequentially measured prospectively in 59 men who received short-course LHRHa treatment and radiotherapy for localized prostate cancer. Measurements were made before treatment (baseline), during LHRHa treatment, and at 6, 12, 18, 24 and >40 weeks after the last LHRHa injection.


RESULTS
The median (range) time from the first to last LHRHa injection was 116 (54-194) days. The mean (95% confidence interval) testosterone levels (in nmol/L) at baseline, during treatment and at 6, 12, 18, 24 and >40 weeks afterward were 12.0 (10.8-13.1), 0.6 (0.5-0.7), 1.4 (0.6-2.2), 11.4 (9.7-13), 12.2 (10.5-14), 10.4 (8.9-12) and 11.7 (10.5-13). Four men had low baseline testosterone levels (<6.1 nmol/L). At 6 weeks after the last LHRHa injection, no men had testosterone levels in the 'normal' range; 35% were in the normal range at 12 weeks, 85% at 18 weeks, 89% at 24 weeks, and 96% at 1 year.


CONCLUSIONS
After LHRHa treatment and radiotherapy, the testosterone levels of most men had recovered to normal by 18-24 weeks after the last LHRHa injection.
Murthy
Vedang
V
Academic Unit of Radiotherapy and Oncology, and Department of Computing and Information, The Royal Marsden NHS Foundation Trust and The Institute of Cancer Research, Surrey, UK.
Norman
Andrew R
AR
Shahidi
Mehdi
M
Parker
Christopher C
CC
Horwich
Alan
A
Huddart
Robert A
RA
Bange
Arsha
A
Dearnaley
David P
DP
D000368:Aged; D000726:Androgen Antagonists / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D018931:Antineoplastic Agents, Hormonal / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D003131:Combined Modality Therapy; D005640:Follicle Stimulating Hormone / Q000378:metabolism; D017273:Goserelin / Q000008:administration & dosage; D006801:Humans; D016729:Leuprolide / Q000008:administration & dosage; D007986:Luteinizing Hormone / Q000378:metabolism; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015999:Multivariate Analysis; D020360:Neoadjuvant Therapy; D011446:Prospective Studies; D011471:Prostatic Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000532:radiotherapy; D013739:Testosterone / Q000097:blood*; D016896:Treatment Outcome
D000726:Androgen Antagonists; D018931:Antineoplastic Agents, Hormonal; D017273:Goserelin; D013739:Testosterone; D007986:Luteinizing Hormone; D005640:Follicle Stimulating Hormone; D016729:Leuprolide