Intra-prostatic androgen levels during various androgen-blockade regimens.
Androgens are heavily involved in the development of prostate cancer. This article reviews the scenario of the androgen environment and androgen metabolism in the prostate during androgen-deprivation therapy (ADT) in patients with prostate cancer. Ways of altering the intra-prostatic androgen milieu during various androgen-blockade regimens include surgical castration, luteinizing hormone-releasing hormone analogues to block androgen secretion by the testes, anti-androgens, and 5alpha-reductase inhibitors. The levels of androgen precursors in the blood are different under different ADT regimens, and the androgen levels in the prostate also vary according to the ADT used. This may affect the therapeutic effect of ADT. We therefore discuss the subject of prostatic androgen levels during various androgen-blockade regimens, and we describe the prospects for the future of ADT.
Nishiyama
Tsutomu
T
Division of Urology, Department of Regenerative and Transplant Medicine, Niigata University Graduate School of Medical and Dental Sciences, Niigata, Japan. nisiyama@med.niigata-u.ac.jp
D000726:Androgen Antagonists / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D000728:Androgens / Q000032:analysis* / Q000097:blood / Q000378:metabolism; D000818:Animals; D018931:Antineoplastic Agents, Hormonal / Q000008:administration & dosage; D000971:Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008954:Models, Biological; D009361:Neoplasm Invasiveness; D009919:Orchiectomy / Q000379:methods; D011467:Prostate / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism; D011471:Prostatic Neoplasms / Q000097:blood / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology
D000726:Androgen Antagonists; D000728:Androgens; D018931:Antineoplastic Agents, Hormonal