Endocrine dependence of prostatic cancer upon dihydrotestosterone and not upon testosterone

Abstract

Growth of the Dunning R3327-H prostatic adenocarcinoma, implanted in the rat, is inhibited by 6-methylene progesterone. This compound is a potent inhibitor of rat prostatic 5-alpha-reductase and in-vivo produced marked involution of the prostate. Thus the tumor requires dihydrotestosterone and not testosterone for growth.