title: Plasma sex steroids and SHBG in patients with breast cancer and their relation to tumor oestrogen-dependency.
abstract: In order to evaluate the possible role of sex steroids in breast cancer and their relation to the presence of oestradiol receptors (ER), ER were quantified in 112 breast adenocarcinomas and 14 benign tumours. The sex hormones of the patients were determined in plasma: oestradiol (E2), progesterone, testosterone, androstenedione, as well as SHBG and gonadotrophins. The ER were evaluated in cytosolic and nuclear fractions. Steroids and gonadotrophins were determined by RIA. SHBG was determined by following a procedure of saturation with tritiated dihydrostestosterone. The mean levels of E2 in postmenopausal women with breast cancer was found to be significantly higher than of the control group. However, no significant variations for the rest of the steroids were seen among the patients with breast cancer and the control group or benign tumour. Nor was any relation found between the presence of ER and the hormonal steroids studied or SHBG. It is suggested that the possible influence of the sex steroids in the etiopathogenesis of breast cancer might be due to the greater production accompanied by a parallel metabolic clearance that would maintain their plasma levels.
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Biopatologia, Hospital La Fe, Valencia, Spain.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Teruel
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Bolufer
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Rodriguez
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Antonio
authors.forename: M T
authors.initials: MT
authors.lastname: Salabert
mesh_terms: D000230:Adenocarcinoma / Q000032:analysis* / Q000097:blood; D000735:Androstenedione / Q000097:blood; D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000032:analysis* / Q000097:blood; D004958:Estradiol / Q000097:blood; D005260:Female; D012739:Gonadal Steroid Hormones / Q000097:blood*; D006065:Gonadotropins, Pituitary / Q000097:blood; D006801:Humans; D011374:Progesterone / Q000097:blood; D011959:Receptors, Estradiol / Q000032:analysis*; D012738:Sex Hormone-Binding Globulin / Q000032:analysis*; D013739:Testosterone / Q000097:blood
chemical_list: D012739:Gonadal Steroid Hormones; D006065:Gonadotropins, Pituitary; D011959:Receptors, Estradiol; D012738:Sex Hormone-Binding Globulin; D013739:Testosterone; D000735:Androstenedione; D011374:Progesterone; D004958:Estradiol