Diethylstilbestrol

The earliest synthetic (man-made) form of the hormone estrogen. Diethylstilbesterol (DES) was once widely prescribed to prevent miscarriages and premature births. Its usage was standard practice in the 1950s and 1960s. Millions of women received the drug. Girls whose mothers were given DES during pregnancy ("DES daughters") were discovered to be at increased risk for being born with malformations of the reproductive organs and to face elevated rates of infertility and miscarriages themselves. DES daughters were also found to be at increased risk for cancer of the cervix and vagina, specifically for developing clear-cell adenocarcinoma of the vagina and cervix, a relatively uncommon type of cancer, at an early age. In 2000, DES daughters were reported to be 3-5 times more likely to have the more common forms of cervical cancer than women whose mothers did not take DES. DES sons are predisposed to testicular abnormalities, such as abnormally small testes) and failure of the testes to descend into the scrotum, which increases the risk of testicular cancer. All women and men who believe they may have been exposed to DES before birth should inform their doctor of their exposure so that they may be appropriately examined and monitored. DES is still available for prescription in the US. According to the package insert, DES "is indicated for the treatment of" (and we quote): {{}}"Breast cancer (palliation only) in appropriately selected women and men with metastatic disease" and "Prostatic cancer — palliative therapy of advanced disease."

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A synthetic nonsteroidal estrogenic compound. Sometimes used as a postcoital antipregnancy agent to prevent implantation of the fertilized ovum. The first demonstrated transplacental carcinogen responsible for a delayed clear cell vaginal carcinoma in female offspring of mothers who took the drug during pregnancy when the drug was erroneously thought to prevent threatened abortion. SYN: stilbestrol.

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di·eth·yl·stil·bes·trol -stil-'bes-.trȯl, -.trōl or chiefly Brit di·eth·yl·stil·boes·trol -'bēs- n a colorless crystalline synthetic compound C₁₈H₂₀O₂ used as a potent estrogen but contraindicated in pregnancy for its tendency to cause cancer or birth defects in offspring called also DES, stilbestrol

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n.

a synthetic female sex hormone (see oestrogen) used as hormone replacement therapy to relieve vaginal atrophy; it is given as pessaries. It is sometimes taken by mouth to treat breast and prostate cancer; side-effects include nausea and vomiting, fluid retention, and in men breast enlargement and impotence. Trade names: Apstil, Tampovagan.

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di·eth·yl·stil·bes·trol (DES) (di-eth″əl-stil-besґtrol) [USP] a synthetic nonsteroidal estrogen having activity similar to but greater than that of estrone. It is used in the palliative treatment of prostatic carcinoma and sometimes of breast cancer, and formerly had many uses including prevention of threatened or habitual abortion and premature labor; relief of menopausal symptoms; suppression of lactation; and treatment of amenorrhea, dysmenorrhea, senile vaginitis, and pruritus vulvae. It has been found to be an epigenetic carcinogen; women who have been exposed in utero to diethylstilbestrol show characteristic changes in the cervix and vagina and are subject to an increased risk of vaginal or cervical carcinoma. Called also stilbestrol.