Abstract

We stated that aminoglutethimide, which has been considered as an alternative to adrenalectomy in metastatic carcinoma of the prostate, reduces adrenal production of androgen and cortisol. There is evidence that this is not so, and that aminoglutethimide given alone raises adrenal androgen production.¹ In almost all published work on its use in prostatic cancer aminoglutethimide has been given with a glucocorticoid, and it is evidently the glucocorticoid which suppresses adrenal androgen production.² It is not clear therefore whether the use of aminoglutethimide with hydrocortisone offers any advantage over that of hydrocortisone alone.