Hormone blood levels in patients with prostatic carcinoma and their relation to the type of carcinoma growth differentiation.

Human prolactin (HPr), luteinizing hormone (LH), follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH), testosterone, 5 alpha-dihydrotestosterone (DHT), oestrone and oestradiol are measured by radioimmunoassay (RIA) and bilogical prolactin activity additionally by pigeon crop sac assay in plasma of patients with prostatic carcinoma and two control groups. Pigeon crop sac assay is more often positive in cancer patients (50%) than in controls (20%) and HPr distinctly elevated in 20% of the carcinoma patients. Patients are classified according to histological type of tumour: carcinomas with cribriform and/or solid growth show significantly elevated pigeon crop sac activity and higher testosterone, DHT and oestrone levels in plasma than tumours without such growth. Values are discussed with respect to age.