Role played by vasopressin (and of an adrenalpostpituitary imbalance) in the development of cancerous diseases.

Several authors have demonstrated that vasopressin (VP) plays a role in the metabolism of various cell lines, cancerous or not, and in particular acts upon the growth and the multiplication of cell cultures. Less known are the data concerning the existence of an adrenal-postpituitary imbalance in favour of VP in cancerous patients. Seeing that adreno-cortical hormones (ACH) are able to exert an inhibiting action on cell multiplication in vitor, a similar effect being very moderate or even absent in vivo, one can see the advantage of taking such effects into account. They allowed us to explain the discrepancy between the in vivo and in vitro effects of ACH, since VP is able to counteract the expected effects of ACH. A model, first empirical, then mathematical, of the so-called adrenal-postpituitary system, was proposed for this purpose. It enables us to propose some hypotheses in the fight to escape the action of ACH in cancer. Paradoxically, it seems that a bipolar therapy, using ACH and VP, would be useful in reaching this goal.