Correlation of pre-treatment serum 17-hydroxycorticosteroid values with survival in patients with prostatic cancer

Total 17-OHCS values were determined before and after treatment in 715 patients with all stages of prostatic cancer. The pre-treatment 17-OHCS level was an important variable in predicting survival and appeared to be a better prognostic indicator of death in the first year than the patient's age, treatment or stage of disease. Generally, the higher the initial value of serum 17-OHCS the greater the probability of death in the first year of treatment. There was no preponderance of one type of death over another when patients with initial high and low values were compared.