EFFECTS OF ANDROGEN THERAPY ON PROSTATIC MARKERS IN HEMODIALYZED PATIENTS

We have prospectively studied the evolution of serum levels of the pro static-specific antigen and prostatic acid phosphatase in 14 male hemo dialyzed patients, receiving a cycle of nandrolone decanoate (200 mg i ntramuscularly, once a week, for six months) as treatment for anemia. Androgen administration did not produce significant increases in serum concentrations of both tumor markers (basal: 0.9 +/- 0.5 and 0.7 +/- 0.3 ng/ml; at six months: 1.3 +/- 1.1 and 0.8 +/- 0.7 ng/ml respective ly). Only one patient had a value of prostatic-specific antigen over t he normal range: 4.2 ng/mol at the sixth month period, with a rapid de crease after the withdrawal of androgens. All the remaining values of both markers were within the normal range. In another six patients und ergoing a prolonged treatment with androgens (between 9 to 24 months), the serum levels of prostatic-specific antigen and prostatic acid pho sphatase were within the normal range in all of them. Nandrolone decan oate administration does not induce increases in prostate tumor marker s when it is used as treatment for anemia in hemodialyzed patients.