[Cytological examination for determining the therapeutic response of prostatic carcinoma to hormonal therapy (author's transl)].

51 patients with proven prostatic carcinoma stage B-D underwent control aspiration biopsy after hormonal therapy using the Franzén needle. The malignancies were classified into three grades and the cytological findings were compared with the malignancy grade of the tumor and the clinical course. At the same time the caryopycnotic index, as determined by swabs from the urethral fossa navicularis was measured in order to determine the serum estrogen level. As the result of the anti-androgenic therapy one finds degenerative changes in the tumor cells. The results showed that the poorer the histological differentiation of the tumor, the lesser was the cytological change. Only 6 of 34 patients with a good hormonal effect showed a progression of the tumor, whereas 16 of 17 patients with a poor hormonal effect showed clinical progression. 70% of the cases demonstrated agreement between the clinical course and the caryopycnotic index. No correlation was found between the caryopycnotic index and the histological grade of the tumor.