[Cytological changes in endocrine therapies of prostatic carcinoma]

We studied cytological changes by endocrine therapies of prostatic carcinoma in 31 cases. We originated a method of cytology, in which a prostatic fluid collecting catheter was used. This has been already reported in previous papers. By the therapies, carcinoma cells usually became edematous, swollen, squamous and finally keratinized and in the cytoplasm hematoxylin-stained granules often appeared. These findings were usually seen in two weeks after the onset of the endocrine therapy. But the degree of the changes differed among the cases and among the therapies. In some there was no response or only squamous metaplasia was found. Most of the carcinoma cells were viable. In these cases the therapies were thought to be ineffective and their mortality was high. On the contrary, in those with only keratinized cells, the therapies were thought to be effective and the mortality was low. We conclude that the cytological methods were useful for evaluating the therapies.