Serum levels of sex hormones before and after androgen deprivation therapy in Japanese prostate cancer patients

We investigated the relationship between treatment outcomes and serum levels of sex hormones before and after androgen deprivation therapy (ADT) in 147 Japanese Prostate cancer (PCa) patients. Sex hormones including total testosterone (TST). estradiol (E2), and prolactin (PRL) were measured before and 4 weeks after initiation of ADT. Pretreatment levels of PRL were higher in high grade PCa (P=0.0397). Serum levels of TST and E2 or TST/E2 ratio were significantly lowered after 4 weeks of ADT. However. serum PRL was increased after ADT. Serum levels of sex hormones after ADT differed by the type of antiandrogens. PSA response for ADT was related to initial PSA levels. PRL after ADT, E2 after ADT, clinical stages and pathological grades. Multivariate analysis determined serum PRL before ADT and after ADT, pathological grades and initial PSA as the independent prognostic factors of cause specific survival in PCa with ADT.