The genesis of breast cancer is a two-step phenomenon. II. Dissociation of two biomarkers in cancer patients from a low risk area of Japan.
The association of dual steroidal disorders with breast cancer, as proposed on the basis of a case-control study in a high risk area of Japan, was tested for its validity in breast cancer patients from a low risk area of Japan. A state of glucocorticoid excess, the first hormonal trait of a breast cancer patient, was assessed using a urinary steroid parameter (a reduction of the androsterone to tetrahydrocortisol ratio by definition), and/or using a physical parameter (an elevation of the waist to hip circumference ratio by definition). Inclination to ovulation failure, the second hormonal trait, was tested using another urinary steroid parameter (a specified disorder of progestin metabolism by definition), and/or a demographic parameter (a reduction in the number of live births by definition). Results obtained are as follows: 1) premenopausal breast cancer patients from a low risk area were found to have the second trait but not the first trait, as tested using 2 parameters for each trait. 2) Postmenopausal cancer patients from a low risk area as well as pre- and post-menopausal cancer patients from a high risk area had both the 2 hormonal traits. 3) There was no discrepancy of results between any 2 test systems with the identification of 2 hormonal traits in 4 cancer patient groups. The significance of the dissociation of 2 hormonal traits, as observed in premenopausal cancer patients from a low risk area, is discussed in favor of the two-step carcinogenesis theory. Possible interaction of heredity and environment in the genesis of breast cancer is also taken into consideration.
Kodama
M
M
Kodama Research Institute of Preventive Medicine, Nagoya, Japan.
Kodama
T
T
Murakami
M
M
Kobayashi
S
S
Akita
T
T
Nakamura
Y
Y
D000305:Adrenal Cortex Hormones / Q000652:urine*; D000728:Androgens / Q000652:urine*; D015415:Biomarkers; D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology* / Q000503:physiopathology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007564:Japan / Q000453:epidemiology; D008593:Menopause / Q000502:physiology; D010053:Ovary / Q000503:physiopathology; D012306:Risk
D000305:Adrenal Cortex Hormones; D000728:Androgens; D015415:Biomarkers