title: Serum levels of hypothalamic-pituitary-testicular axis hormones in men with or without prostate cancer or atypical small acinar proliferation.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Substantial controversy exists regarding the association between testosterone serum levels and prostate cancer.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To evaluate the levels of hypothalamic-pituitary-testicular axis hormones in the sera of men with prostate cancer and atypical small acinar proliferation as well as those with normal biopsies.
  
  
  METHODS
  A study cohort of 186 men with suspected prostate cancer who had undergone transrectal prostate biopsies was used in this study. The patients were divided into the following three groups based on the histology of the biopsy samples: no neoplasia, atypical small acinar proliferation or prostate cancer. Demographic data were also collected. Levels of total testosterone, follicle-stimulating hormone, luteinizing hormone, prolactin, estradiol, and serum prostate-specific antigen were measured in blood samples.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Initially, 123 men were found to be without neoplasia, 26 with atypical small acinar proliferation and 37 with prostate cancer. After a second biopsy was taken from the men diagnosed with atypical small acinar proliferation, the diagnoses were revised: 18 were diagnosed with atypical small acinar proliferation and 45 with prostate cancer. No significant differences between the groups were identified regarding age, smoking history, chronic diseases, body mass index or PSA levels (P >.0.05). The mean serum levels of testosterone, follicle-stimulating hormone, luteinizing hormone, prolactin and estradiol were similar in all of the groups (P >.0.05). Furthermore, in individuals with prostate cancer, the Gleason scores and prevalence of hypogonadism were not significantly different (P.> 0.05).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The present study revealed no difference in the serum levels of testosterone, follicle-stimulating hormone, luteinizing hormone, prolactin or estradiol in men without neoplasia compared with those with atypical small acinar proliferation or prostate cancer.
authors.affiliation: Federal University of Health Sciences of Porto Alegre, Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil. cschmitt@via-rs.net
authors.forename: Caio da Silva
authors.initials: Cda S
authors.lastname: Schmitt
authors.forename: Ernani Luis
authors.initials: EL
authors.lastname: Rhoden
authors.forename: Gilberto Laurino
authors.initials: GL
authors.lastname: Almeida
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000704:Analysis of Variance; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D049109:Cell Proliferation; D004958:Estradiol / Q000097:blood; D005640:Follicle Stimulating Hormone / Q000097:blood; D006065:Gonadotropins, Pituitary / Q000097:blood*; D006801:Humans; D007030:Hypothalamo-Hypophyseal System / Q000378:metabolism*; D007986:Luteinizing Hormone / Q000097:blood; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010913:Pituitary-Adrenal System / Q000378:metabolism*; D011388:Prolactin / Q000097:blood; D017430:Prostate-Specific Antigen / Q000097:blood; D019048:Prostatic Intraepithelial Neoplasia / Q000097:blood* / Q000473:pathology; D011471:Prostatic Neoplasms / Q000097:blood* / Q000473:pathology; D018709:Statistics, Nonparametric; D013739:Testosterone / Q000097:blood
chemical_list: D006065:Gonadotropins, Pituitary; D013739:Testosterone; D004958:Estradiol; D011388:Prolactin; D007986:Luteinizing Hormone; D005640:Follicle Stimulating Hormone; D017430:Prostate-Specific Antigen