THE EFFECT OF DIETHYLSTILBESTROL ON THE CALCIUM, PHOSPHORUS AND NITROGEN METABOLISM OF PROSTATIC CARCINOMA 1

Abstract

The Ca,P and N metabolism of a patient with osteoblastic metastases secondary to prostatic carcinoma was studied for 24 days before treatment and for 75 days during diethylstilbestrol therapy. The metabolic data were correlated with the clinical course. The first manifestation of the estrogen effect was a decrease in the urinary Ca excretion together with a drop in serum acid phosphatase, even preceding clinical improvement. The marked avidity for Ca retention resulting from estrogen therapy was evidenced by a positive Ca balance on a low Ca diet. This was due to the decline in urinary Ca excretion initially and to a later decline in fecal Ca excretion. This tendency to Ca retention and subnormal urinary Ca excretion is typical for osteoblastic metastases.