[Hormonal correlations in stomach cancer patients].

Abstract

The urinary excretion of andro- and glucocorticoidogenesis metabolites was studied in 60 patients with gastric cancer (stages II-III and IV). The androgenous activity showed a significant decrease that was manifested in a reduced excretion of 17-ketosteroids (17-KS) and their androgenicity index (AI). With advance of the disease stage androsterone/ethiocholanolon ratio reduced and became less than 1 in most patients. In patients with stage II-III gastric cancer there occurred a significant increase of the glucocorticoid function of the adrenals and a decrease in patients with stage IV cancer. Comparison with the androgenous activity revealed both an absolute and a relative androgenic insufficiency in patients with gastric cancer. It is suggested that reduced production of androgens effects favourably the catabolic manifestation of the effect of glucocorticoids. Drug-stimulated increase of the production of androgens in the body of patients with gastric cancer is desired.