Abstract
We have investigated the excretion of androgens and estrogens in 2 cases of male mammary carcinoma. The results obtained are recorded in Table I.
Twenty-four-hour urine specimens were extracted and fractionated according to the method described by Gallagher, Peterson, Dorf-man, Kenyon, and Koch. 1 Samples were assayed for their estro-genic potency by the vaginal smear technic, using mice. Androgenicf assays were done by a modification of the Zimmerman method as described by Friedgood and Whidden. 2 We endeavored to correct for the inherent color of the samples by subtracting the equivalent of the reading obtained when an aliquot (equal in amount to that used for the actual determination) was treated with all the reagents except m-dinitrobenzene. This method gives values higher than those which would be obtained by biologic assay, but we feel that it is probably acceptable for use in a comparative study.
It will be seen that the male patients with mammary carcinoma did not differ significantly from the controls in regard to the amount of androgens and estrogens excreted. The low excretion of both androgens and estrogens in the aged, found by several previous investigators, and the daily variability in the excretion of androgens reported by Gallagher, et al., 1 are confirmed.
We are indebted to Drs. M. B. Visscher, L. T. Samuels, and L. Earle Arnow for their suggestions and cooperation.
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