Summary
We compared the effect of a variety of drug regiments to lower prostate DHT concentration. Patients with BPH were treated for one week prior to surgery with either tamoxifen, flutamide, megestrol acetate, megestrol acetate plus tamoxifen and megestrol acetate plus DES or ketoconazole. DHT concentration in the surgically resected tissue was compared with tissue obtained from untreated patients. We also obtained prostate tissue at the time of relapse in patients with prostate cancer who had been treated with orchiectomy with or without estrogen therapy. Megestrol acetate plus the mini-dose of DES (0.1 mg) and megestrol acetate plus ketoconazole both decreased DHT concentrations in prostate tissue to levels (0.79 ng/g) significantly below those noted with orchiectomy (1.16 ng/g). The difference between the DHT concentration in the two groups (orchiectomy vs. total androgen blockade) represents the contribution of adrenal androgens to prostate tissue DHT. This small amount of DHT (approximately 0.4 ng/g) may be biologically important in stimulating prostate epithelial cell growth.
Article PDF
Similar content being viewed by others
Avoid common mistakes on your manuscript.
References
Albert J, Geller J, Stoltzing W, Loza D (1978) DHT concentrations in human prostate cancer tissue. J Clin Endocrinol Metab 46:440–444
Bartsch W, Kanabbe C, Voigt K-D (1983) Regulation and compartmentalization of androgens in rat prostate and muscle. J Steroid Biochem 19:929–937
Geller J, Albert J (1983) Comparison of various hormonal therapies for prostatic carcinoma. Semin Oncol 10 Suppl 4:34–41
Geller J, Albert J, Nachtsheim D, Loza D (1984) Comparison of prostate cancer tissue dihydrotestosterone levels at the time of relapse following orchiectomy or estrogen therapy. J Urol 132:693–696
Geller J, Albert J (1985) Adrenal androgen blockade in relapsed prostate cancer. Eur J Clin Oncol Perspective and Commentaries 21:1127–1131
Holland F, Fishman L, Bailey J, Fazekas A (1985) Ketoconazole in the management of precocious puberty not responsive to LHRH-analog therapy 312:1023–1028
Liu J, Geller J, Albert J, Kirshner M (1985) Acute effects of testicular and adrenal cortical blockade on protein synthesis and dihydrotestosterone content of human prostate. J Clin Endocrinol Metab 61:126–133
Wilbert D, Griffin J, Wilson J (1983) Characterization of the cytosol androgen receptor of the human prostate. J Clin Endocrinol Metab 56:113–120
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Geller, J., Albert, J. Effects of castration compared with total androgen blockade on tissue dihydrotestosterone (DHT) concentration in benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH). Urol. Res. 15, 151–153 (1987). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00254427
Accepted:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00254427