Potential roles of androgens and the anabolic steroids in the treatment of cancer - a review.

Androgenic hormones are utilized in clinical practice as a bone marrow stimulant as well as replacement therapy in certain endocrinologic disorders. In the oncologic realm breast cancer has shown some responsiveness to pharmacologic doses of androgens. However, recent work reveals that androgens are capable of stimulating the fibrinolytic mechanism and more importantly enhance the immune response. These latter properties represent a significant new role for the androgens and anabolic agents. Hence, adjunctive utilization of androgens with cancer chemotherapeutic agents may result in an effective synergistic combination in the therapy of malignant disease.