Depressed testosterone release from testicular tissue in vitro after withdrawal of oestrogen treatment in patients with prostatic carcinoma

Bilateral orchiectomy was performed in patients with prostatic carcinoma after oestrogen treatment for different periods of time. Testicular slices were incubated in vitro to examine the effect of previous oestrogen treatment on testosterone production. After short-term treatment, the testicular tissue responded to human chorionic gonadotrophin by testosterone production. This was in contrast to long-term administration of oestrogen which induced arrest of testosterone synthesis. The results suggest irreversible changes of Leydig cell function after long-term oestrogen treatment.