Molybdate and the measurements of androgen receptors in prostate cancer.

Using the sucrose density gradient technique, we have compared androgen receptor values obtained in the presence and absence of sodium molybdate from cytosols of surgically obtained human prostate cancer tissue. In all nine prostates examined, inclusion of molybdate in the buffers resulted in an increase in the amount of androgen receptor detected, in some cases dramatically. Since accurate androgen receptor assays could be valuable for therapeutic decision making in prostate cancer, we advocate the inclusion of sodium molybdate in assay buffers to guard against the possibility of false negative or artificially low values.