Peripheral and prostatic vein steroid concentrations in benign prostatic hypertrophy patients before and after...

The concentrations of androgenic steroids and some of their precursors were determined in the prostatic and peripheral veins of 16 patients with benign prostatic hypertrophy (BPH). The same steroids were also measured in the peripheral vein after removal of the adenoma. The mean concentration of 5 alpha-dihydrotestosterone in prostatic vein (4.40 nmol/l +/- 0.37, mean +/- S.E.M.) was significantly higher than in peripheral vein (2.63 nmol/l +/- 0.30, mean +/- S.E.M.) indicating secretion of this steroid by the adenoma. We did not observe any correlation between the weight of the removed tissue and the secretion of 5 alpha-dihydrotestosterone. The concentrations of pregnenolone, progesterone, 17 alpha-hydroxyprogesterone, androstenedione, testosterone and androsterone were the same in the prostatic and peripheral veins. There were no changes in the concentrations of steroids measured before and 1 and 6 months after removal of the BPH adenoma. It therefore appears that the secretion of 5 alpha-dihydrotestosterone by the adenoma is insufficient to influence the circulating levels of this steroid.