Androgen metabolism in malignant and benign bone tumors

The comparison of activities of the key enzymes of androgen metabolism in morphological variants of bone sarcomas and benign tumors suggests that malignant tumors of different histogenesis not only metabolize the main androgen testosterone, but also inactivate 5α-dihydrotestosterone, the main regulatory androgen in bones. It is possible that androgen metabolism in bone tumors is aimed at the formation of other androgens, in particular, 3α-and 5β-diols, which can be involved in regulatory processes in bone tissue. Further studies will disclose clinical significance of androgen metabolism and individual androgens in human bone tumors. Translated fromByulleten' Eksperimental'noi Biologii i Meditsiny, Vol. 129, No. 1, pp. 90–92, January, 2000