title: Relations between sex hormones, sex hormone binding globulin, insulin-like growth factor-I and insulin-like growth factor binding protein-1 in post-menopausal breast cancer patients.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Oestrogens, androgens and anti-endocrine drugs such as tamoxifen and aminoglutethimide influence plasma insulin-like growth factor-I (IGF-I). IGF-I, in turn, has been found to stimulate the peripheral aromatase in vitro. The aim of this study was to examine relations between sex hormones, IGF-I and insulin-like growth factor binding protein-1 (IGFBP-1) in post-menopausal women with breast cancer.
  
  
  METHODS
  To measure plasma sex steroids, sex hormone binding globulin (SHBG), IGF-I, IGFBP-1, insulin and urinary oestrogen metabolites in post-menopausal women with breast cancer not receiving any endocrine therapy.
  
  
  METHODS
  Thirty-two patients had fasting blood samples obtained between 0800 and 1000 h. A sub-group of 10 patients had 24-hour urine oestrogen metabolites determined.
  
  
  METHODS
  Plasma steroids and proteins were measured by radioimmunoassays. Urinary oestrogens were measured by GC-MS.
  
  
  RESULTS
  SHBG correlated negatively with plasma androstenedione (P < 0.001), insulin (P < 0.001), IGF-I, height and plasma oestrone sulphate (P < 0.025 for all), but positively with plasma IGFBP-1 (P < 0.025). IGFBP-1 correlated negatively with IGF-I (P < 0.001) and the testosterone/SHBG ratio (P < 0.05). Neither IGF-I nor IGFBP-1 correlated with any of the plasma or urinary sex hormones or with the oestrone/androstenedione and oestradiol/testosterone ratios. Multivariate analysis revealed plasma SHBG to correlate positively with IGFBP-1 (P = 0.029) and negatively with insulin (P = 0.031). Plasma IGFBP-1 correlated negatively with IGF-I (P < 0.0001) but not with insulin.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Our results do not suggest any influence of plasma sex steroids in physiological concentrations on IGF-I or IGFBP-1 in post-menopausal breast cancer patients, nor do they indicate IGF-I at physiological concentrations influences the ratios between plasma oestrogens and their androgen precursors.
authors.affiliation: Department of Oncology, Haukeland University Hospital, Bergen, Norway.
authors.forename: P E
authors.initials: PE
authors.lastname: Lønning
authors.forename: S I
authors.initials: SI
authors.lastname: Helle
authors.forename: D C
authors.initials: DC
authors.lastname: Johannessen
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Adlercreutz
authors.forename: E A
authors.initials: EA
authors.lastname: Lien
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Tally
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Ekse
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Fotsis
authors.forename: G B
authors.initials: GB
authors.lastname: Anker
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Hall
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000735:Androstenedione / Q000097:blood; D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000097:blood*; D002352:Carrier Proteins / Q000378:metabolism*; D004958:Estradiol / Q000097:blood; D004967:Estrogens / Q000652:urine; D004970:Estrone / Q000097:blood; D005260:Female; D012739:Gonadal Steroid Hormones / Q000097:blood*; D006801:Humans; D018970:Insulin-Like Growth Factor Binding Protein 1; D007334:Insulin-Like Growth Factor I / Q000378:metabolism*; D008875:Middle Aged; D017698:Postmenopause / Q000097:blood; D012738:Sex Hormone-Binding Globulin / Q000378:metabolism*; D013739:Testosterone / Q000097:blood; D013997:Time Factors
chemical_list: D002352:Carrier Proteins; D004967:Estrogens; D012739:Gonadal Steroid Hormones; D018970:Insulin-Like Growth Factor Binding Protein 1; D012738:Sex Hormone-Binding Globulin; D004970:Estrone; D013739:Testosterone; D000735:Androstenedione; D004958:Estradiol; D007334:Insulin-Like Growth Factor I