AbstractA series of 15 patients with disseminated prostatic carcinoma were treated with open or cryosurgical hypophysectomy, following relapse from conventional forms of hormonal therapy. Six of 15 patients (40%) had objective and subjective signs of clinical and chemical response. To date, however, patients in remission have not demonstrated a significant prolongation in survival. Human growth hormone (HGH) levels were used to test the degree of functional suppression of pituitary function posthypophysectomy. Cryosurgical hypophysectomy, although an admittedly anatomically incomplete procedure, can induce marked reduction in activity of the anterior pituitary as judged by the HGH responses. The levels of plasma growth hormone suggested some residual pituitary tissue (hypofunction) rather than complete ablation. The decreased operative mortality and present results with cryosurgical hypophysectomy for disseminated prostatic carcinoma are encouraging and may permit the application of this form of therapy to a greater number of patients.