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Androgens and carcinoma of the prostate

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Testosterone

Abstract

In animals and in the human male the prostate depends on androgens for its development, growth and function (for review see Coffey and Isaacs [1981]). Similarly, human prostate cancer is androgen-dependent in its growth in many patients, although eventually androgen-independent cell populations take over the clinical course, resulting in endocrine-independent tumor dissemination which determines the fate of most patients suffering from this disease. Anecdotal evidence exists that prostate cancer does not occur in early castrates (Lipsett, 1979). This scanty evidence suggests that the presence of androgens plays at least a permissive role in the pathogenesis of prostatic carcinoma. The possibility that androgens may even be promoting factors for this disease must be considered. Unfortunately, this relationship is extremely difficult to study and the available information, which will be reviewed, is not conclusive. For further reading on this subject the recent reviews of the epidemiology of prostate cancer by Wynder et al. (1971), Flanders (1984) and Zaridze and Boyle (1987) are recommended.

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Authors
  1. Fritz H. Schröder
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Editors and Affiliations

  1. Institute of Reproductive Medicine, University of Münster, Steinfurter Straße 107, D-4400, Münster, Federal Republic of Germany

    Eberhard Nieschlag  & Hermann M. Behre  & 

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Schröder, F.H. (1990). Androgens and carcinoma of the prostate. In: Nieschlag, E., Behre, H.M. (eds) Testosterone. Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-662-00814-0_13

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-662-00814-0_13

  • Publisher Name: Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg

  • Print ISBN: 978-3-662-00816-4

  • Online ISBN: 978-3-662-00814-0

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