Response of men with advanced prostatic carcinoma to exogenous administration of testosterone

Abstract

Twenty‐six men in whom the diagnosis of prostatic carcinoma had been established recently and ten men with prostatic carcinoma in relapse after orchiectomy were administered testosterone propionate. Of the measures of tumor activity that were made the only objective alteration was in the serum acid phosphatase; however, in both groups of patients the response to testosterone was extremely variable. None of the ten men in relapse experienced complete objective remission although one man, who was preterminal, developed a remarkable subjective and partial objective remission that lasted nearly a year. Another patient received testosterone for 128 days and experienced only enlargement of the primary tumor. The authors conclude that the response to exogenous testosterone is variable and unpredictable and in certain patients in relapse may be of appreciable palliative value. Copyright © 1967 American Cancer Society