Endocrine effects of aminoglutethimide plus hydrocortisone versus effects of high dose of hydrocortisone alone in postmenopausal metastatic breast cancer.

Aminoglutethimide (Ag) has been used in different dosages with and without combined treatment with glucocorticoids for the suppression of peripheral plasma levels of steroidal hormones. In the present work we have estimated changes in peripheral steroid levels after 3 days of adrenal suppression with a 'physiological' daily dose of 40 mg hydrocortisone (H). Subsequently Ag (1000 mg daily) was added or the dose of H was doubled in order to study the efficacy of the suppression of oestradiol by these conditions during a 6-week period.