Objectives: The possible role of sex hormone imbalance in hepatocellular carcinogenesis was investigated.
Patients and methods: Ten men with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) and cirrhosis, 10 men with HCC without cirrhosis, 12 men with cirrhosis of various aetiologies, 8 men with secondary liver tumours and 10 normal men were studied. Plasma levels of testosterone, androstenedione, oestradiol, sex hormone binding globulin follicle stimulating hormone and luteinizing hormone were determined for all patients.
Results: Patients of all groups had comparable levels of oestradiol, androstenedione, sex hormone binding globulin, luteinizing hormone and follicle stimulating hormone. Low testosterone values in the serum were found for all patients with primary liver disease. Low testosterone was found even in patients with primary HCC who did not have cirrhosis or liver failure serious enough as to be responsible for the reduction of testosterone levels. On the other hand patients suffering from secondary liver tumours had normal values of serum testosterone.
Conclusions: These results present an indication that low serum testosterone is a special feature of hepatocellular carcinoma.