Comparative investigations of the urinary excretion of different <em>17</em>-<em>ketosteroids</em> in healthy women and patients suffering from mastopathia fibrocystica and/or mammary carcinomas had the following results: 1. A clear age dependency of the excretion of <em>17</em> <em>ketosteroids</em> during the regenerative period has been shown in all groups investigated, but it could not be observed during the postmenopausal phase. 2. There are no hints by the excretion values for a remarkable contribution of mammary carcinomas to the hormone metabolism of the host. 3. The excretion values of patients suffering from mastopathia fibrocystica confirm epidemiological results, which consider this from of mastopathia a precancerous one.

A 21-month-old female with virilizing and then feminizing sexual precocity due to an adrenal adenocarcinoma treated surgically at 21 months of age is reported. Urinary neutral <em>17</em>-<em>ketosteroids</em> were 116 and 106 mg/24 h and correlated with high plasma levels (1408 microgram/dl) of dehyroepiandrosterone sulfate. Plasma estradiol (<em>17</em> ng/dl) and urinary estradiol levels (6.3 and 7.1 mu/24 h) were elevated to adult levels and associated with breast development, clitoral enlargement, and an estrogenized vagina. Plasma cortisol was normal. The patient remains healthy over 10 yr later, although capsular invasion was present.

Four patients with Cushing's disease were treated with bromocriptine, administered three times daily, in doses ranging from 7.5 to 15 mg/day, during an average period of 80 days. Daily urinary <em>17</em>-hydroxycorticosteroids (<em>17</em>-OHCS) and <em>17</em>-<em>ketosteroids</em> (<em>17</em>-KS) excretion was measured during dynamic tests and at two-week intervals. Plasma adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH) and cortisol levels were also assayed before and after therapy. A marked clinical and laboratory improvement was noted in two patients, in another some clinical and laboratory improvement was obtained only after bromocriptine dosage was increased to 15 mg/day. There was no effect in the fourth patient. Thus, at least for a short period of time, bromocriptine may be useful therapy for some patients with Cushing's disease.