Dihydrotestosterone concentration in prostate cancer tissue as a predictor of tumor differentiation and hormonal dependency.

Tissue dihydrotestosterone and 5alpha-reductase (delta4-3-ketosteroid-5alpha-oxidoreductase) levels have been measured in prostates of patients with cancer and benign prostatic hypertrophy; significant decreases in average values for both of these biochemical parameters were noted in prostate cancer compared to benign prostatic hypertrophy, although individual values overlapped in both groups. Prostate cancer tissue dihydrotestosterone levels appeared to correlate better than did either histological tumor grading or 5alpha-reductase with the ultimate clinical response to antiandrogen therapy. These results suggest that assay of tissue dihydrotestosterone levels in prostate cancer should be further explored as a possible marker for tumor differentiation.