Plasma hormone levels in patients with prostatic carcinoma treated with diethylstilboestrol and estramustine

Plasma testosterone, oestradiol, luteinising hormone (LH) growth hormone and prolactin were measured serially in 140 patients with advanced prostatic carcinoma (T3, T4, MI and MO) randomised in a trial of diethylstilboestrol 3 mg/day against estramustine 560 mg/day. Both drugs suppressed plasma testosterone and LH and increased plasma growth hormone and prolactin, though estramustine induced a greater rise in prolactin. Oestradiol levels fell on stilboestrol but were considerably elevated on estramustine. Initial hormone levels reflected neither the extent of disease nor the response to treatment. The data also showed that close attention should be given to plasma LH in identifying patients who are unreliable, since intermittent hormone dosage caused an exaggerated rise even when plasma testosterone remained at castrate levels.