[Prostate cancer associated with long-term intake of patent medicine containing methyltestosterone: a case report]

An 81-year-old man, admitted with lumbago and pollakisuria, was diagnosed to have stage D2 prostate cancer (T3N2M1). Although the serum level of prostate specific antigen (PSA) was 3,560 ng/ml, serum testosterone (55.6 ng/dl) and luteinizing hormone (LH, 0.8 mIU/ml) levels were very low. Detailed inquiry of the patient revealed a daily intake of patent medicine containing 6-9 mg methyltestosterone for the past 30 years. He was treated by surgical castration and oral chlormadinone acetate. We advised him not to take such androgenic drugs. The disease has been well controlled for 7 months. We stress the importance of checking medication habits of patients with prostate cancer, especially androgen-containing drugs which can be purchased without a physician's prescription. A low serum LH level may be an important finding indicating the intake of androgenic drugs.