Abstract
Plasma levels of FSH, LH and testosterone were determined in 13 patients of ages from 44 to 85 who had been orchidectomized on account of prostatic cancer and most of whom were receiving additional treatments with anti-androgenic hormone. In 12 of them a LH-RH loading test was performed to examine its effects on the pituitary secretory function and on the adrenal cortical function of testosterone secretion. In 1 of the 12 cases a HCG loading test was also applied to study response of the adrenal gland to HCG. It was found that the combined therapy of orchidectomy with subsequent administration of anti-androgenic hormone caused a rapid fall of the plasma levels of FSH, LH and testosterone, whereas in the early stage the pituitary continued to respond to LH-RH loading. Clinically, pain in urination and that resulted from bone metastases thoroughly disappeared after this combined therapy, although no appreciable changes were seen in the prostatic tumor itself. After more than 6 months' application of anti-androgenic hormones, the plasma level of testosterone began to rise. However, there was no correlation between the increase in plasma testosterone and the aggravation of the tumor.
