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Serum 5\g=a\-dihydrotestosterone (DHT) and testosterone (T) were measured in 98 normal adult men aged between 20\p=n-\80 years, separating T and DHT by thin layer chromatography and using a sensitive and reliable radioimmunoassay. In three age groups between 20\p=n-\40, 40\p=n-\60 and 60\p=n-\80, the means \m=+-\sem for serum DHT were 84 \m=+-\4, 79 \m=+-\3 and 67 \m=+-\3 (ng/ 100 ml) respectively. The corresponding values for testosterone were 559 \m=+-\ 25, 491 \m=+-\25 and 475 \m=+-\28 (ng/100 ml). A significant decrease was observed in the DHT level of the 60\p=n-\80 years age group compared to either the 20\p=n-\40 (P < 0.01) or the 40\p=n-\60 (P < 0.02) age groups. There was a moderate decline in the testosterone level of the 60\p=n-\80 years age group compared to 20\p=n-\40 years (P < 0.05) but there were no significant changes in the testosterone levels between other groups.

Summary.-Serum testosterone (T) and dihydrotestosterone (DHT) were measured by a sensitive and reliable radioimmunoassay in 42 normal subjects and 33 agematched patients with carcinoma of the prostate. The mean +s.e. for serum testosterone in normal subjects was 16-74h076nM and the corresponding value for patients with carcinoma was 20-94±1-48nM. Statistical analysis of the results showed a significant increase in T level in patients with carcinoma of the prostate (P<001). In contrast, there was no difference in DHT concentration between the two groups, values being 2-43±0-09 and 206±009nM for normal subjects and patients respectively.The means +s.e. for T/DHT ratio in controls and patients were 68+O0-2 and 12-8±1*3 respectively. The difference was highly significant (P<0001). The wide range of variation for T in patients with carcinoma would suggest that although mean T is higher in these patients, this measurement alone is of little practical value, whereas T/DHT ratio is a more reliable parameter in evaluating the androgen changes in these patients. The significance of these findings in relation to the aetiology of the disease is discussed.

The relationship between the concentrations of oestradiol, testosterone, dihydrotestosterone (DHT) and 5 alpha-androstane-3 alpha, 17 beta-diol in circulating blood and prostatic tissues was studied in patients with benign prostatic hypertrophy (BPH) and carcinoma of the prostate. All steroids were measured by radioimmunoassay. In patients with BPH the tissue concentrations of oestradiol, testosterone, DHT and 5 alpha-androstane-3 alpha, 17 beta-diol expressed per kg wet weight were 228.6 +/- 7.4 (S.E.M.) pmol, 1.29 +/- 0.06 nmol, 25.61 +/- 1.15 nmol and 1.43 +/- 0.10 nmol respectively. The corresponding values for carcinomatous tissues were 380.1 +/- 19.4 pmol, 7.20 +/- 1.10 nmol, 12.32 +/- 1.56 nmol and 1.99 +/- 0.32 nmol. Significant differences (t-test) were found between the mean concentrations of oestradiol (P less than 0.001), testosterone (P less than 0.001), DHT (P less than 0.001) and 5 alpha androstane-3 alpha, 17 beta-diol (P less than 0.05) in prostatic tissues of these two groups of patients. Significant negative correlations were observed between the tissue concentrations of oestradiol and DHT (r = -0.49, P less than 0.05) and between oestradiol and 5 alpha-androstane-3 alpha,17 beta-diol (r = -0.44, P less than 0.05) in BPH but not in malignant tissues. The plasma concentrations of oestradiol, testosterone, DHT and 5 alpha-androstane-3 alpha, 17 beta-diol in patients with BPH were 147.4 +/- 6.9 pmol/l, 18.4 +/- 1.2 nmol/l, 2.6 +/- 0.2 nmol/l and 0.84 +/- 0.04 nmol/ respectively. The corresponding values for patients with carcinoma of the prostate were 145.5 +/- 17.0 pmol/l, 17.3 +/- 2.4 nmol/l, 2.0 +/- 0.3 nmol/l and 0.56 +/- 0.06 nmol/l respectively. The mean plasma 5 alpha-androstane-3 alpha, 17 beta-diol was found to be significantly higher in patients with BPH (P less than 0.01) than with carcinoma. No significant correlations were found between the tissue concentrations of these steroids and the corresponding plasma values, which suggested that their metabolism and accumulation in prostatic tumours are independent of their plasma concentrations.

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