Effect of medroxyprogesterone acetate on serum levels of LH, FSH, cortisol, and estrone in patients with endometrial carcinoma.

Medroxyprogesterone acetate (MPA) was administered orally for at least 6 months to 25 patients with endometrial adenocarcinoma starting 1 week after hysterectomy and bilateral ovariectomy. We measured serum concentrations of MPA during treatment and serum levels of LH, FSH, cortisol, and estrone before and during treatment with MPA. The serum levels of MPA 3--5 h after ingestion of a daily 100-mg dose of MPA at 08.00 h, varied considerably, the mean value (+/- SE) being 43 +/- 3.6 nmol/l range 15--119 nmol/l. Serum FSH levels rose after operation in the five premenopausal patients and remained elevated despite MPA treatment. In the 20 postmenopausal patients, however, initially high serum FSH and LH levels declined to half the starting values as a result of MPA treatment. After the administration of MPA for 6 months the mean serum cortisol and estrone concentrations at 08.00 a.m. had fallen to 78% and 82% of the mean values before treatment.