THE EFFECT OF ANDROGENS ON THE URINARY EXCRETION OF KETOSTEROIDS, NONKETONIC ALCOHOLS AND ESTROGENS*†

Abstract

The urinary excretion of ketosteroids, nonketonic alcohols and estrogens (fluorogenic phenols) was studied after the admn. of dehydroepiandrosterone to 2 patients with cancer of the breast and 1 patient with rheumatoid arthritis and after the admn. of testosterone to 7 patients with cancer and 4 patients with rheumatoid arthritis. The excretion of ketosteroids was increased in all patients after either steroid was admd. Varying patterns of excretion of nonketonic alcohols were observed after the admn. of either dehydroepiandrosterone or testosterone. Fluorogenic phenol (FP) excretion was increased in 2 female cancer patients who were given both steroids. The increased FP excretion was due to the presence of estrone, estradiol-17B and estriol which were characterized by counter-current distr. The postulated disorders of steroid metabolism in cancer and in rheumatoid arthritis are discussed.