Pituitary-gonadal dysfunction in male patients with lung cancer. Association with serum inhibin levels.

Male lung cancer patients with poor performance status have an endocrinological dysfunction shown by decreased serum levels of total and free testosterone (AFTC). The intention was to investigate whether or not inhibin plays a role in gonadal dysfunction observed in male patients with malignant pulmonary disease. Twenty-seven patients with locally advanced non-small cell lung cancer were included. Sixteen patients were within ECOG index 1-2 (group A) and 11 patients within ECOG index 3-4 (group B). Gonadal function was monitored by serum LH, FSH, testosterone, SHBG and inhibin levels. Patients with poor performance status displayed significantly lower inhibin (1.6 +/- 0.8 U/I) and AFTC (0.23 +/- 0.07 nmol/l) levels when compared to patients within ECOG index 1-2 (inhibin 2.4 +/- 1.1 U/I; AFTC 0.66 +/- 0.36 nmol/l). Serum inhibin tended to correlate inversely to FSH with a 4.4-fold higher FSH/inhibin ratio in group B compared to A.