title: Role of pituitary hormones in the growth of human breast cancer.
abstract: Hypophysectomy was performed in 28 women with Stage IV breast cancer who were treated initially with antiestrogens. Six of 13 patients who responded to tamoxifen and 2 of 12 who failed to benefit from tamoxifen obtained remissions from hypophysectomy. The remissions average 11+ months. Three of 8 patients treated initially with antiestrogens have responded to androgen therapy. The results suggest that hormones other than estrogen, which appears to play a major role, may be involved in stimulating the growth of some human breast cancers. Prolactin receptors were detectable in 51% of human breast cancers and were detected in both estrogen receptor-positive and -negative tumors. Preliminary clinical correlations suggest that prolactin receptors will not be useful in predicting response to antiestrogen therapy.
mesh_terms: D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000378:metabolism / Q000628:therapy*; D004965:Estrogen Antagonists / Q000627:therapeutic use; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007016:Hypophysectomy; D009376:Neoplasms, Hormone-Dependent / Q000378:metabolism / Q000628:therapy*; D010907:Pituitary Hormones / Q000502:physiology*; D011388:Prolactin / Q000378:metabolism; D011956:Receptors, Cell Surface; D011960:Receptors, Estrogen; D012075:Remission, Spontaneous; D013629:Tamoxifen / Q000627:therapeutic use; D045165:Testosterone Congeners / Q000627:therapeutic use
chemical_list: D004965:Estrogen Antagonists; D010907:Pituitary Hormones; D011956:Receptors, Cell Surface; D011960:Receptors, Estrogen; D045165:Testosterone Congeners; D013629:Tamoxifen; D011388:Prolactin