title: Conjugated estrogens and breast cancer risk.
abstract: Available epidemiologic data suggest the possibility that the use of oral conjugated equine estrogens (CEE) 0.625 mg/day as a first-choice dose could be associated with a very limited (if any) breast cancer risk increase. Some biological peculiarities of oral CEE back the possibility of a limited detrimental effect on breast tissue, due to either direct or indirect actions. Direct actions. Some experimental findings suggest that the 17 alpha-dihydroderivatives of equilenin and equilin (15% of the CEE components) have a non-estrogenic or even an anti-estrogenic effect on breast tissue. This could partially counterbalance the stimulatory action of the other CEE components. Indirect actions. Oral estrogens, through their metabolic and hepatocellular effects (emphasized by the first liver passage) cause a sharp increase in sex hormone binding globulin (SHBG) level which is followed by a lower quantity of both estrogen and androgen in the free, bioavailable, form. More importantly, they cause a decrease in circulating insulin-like growth factor I (IGF-I) activity, due to both a reduction in IGF-I synthesis by the liver and an increase in IGF-binding protein-1 level. A strong relationship between breast cancer risk and the concentration of circulating IGF-I in premenopausal women has been recently found. Actually, estrogens and IGF-I have a synergistic effect on cell proliferation, and IGF-I is necessary for maximum estrogen-receptor activation in breast cancer cell lines. The possibility does exist that the SHBG level increase and the IGF-I bioavailability decrease, caused by oral CEE, balance the increased estrogen stimulation on breast tissue.
authors.affiliation: Department of Endocrinological Gynecology, St Anna Hospital, Turin, Italy.
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Campagnoli
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Ambroggio
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Biglia
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Sismondi
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000139:chemically induced / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000517:prevention & control; D004958:Estradiol / Q000096:biosynthesis; D004966:Estrogens, Conjugated (USP) / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D004970:Estrone / Q000378:metabolism; D005260:Female; D020249:Hormone Replacement Therapy / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000379:methods; D006801:Humans; D007334:Insulin-Like Growth Factor I / Q000096:biosynthesis; D008875:Middle Aged; D009765:Obesity / Q000150:complications; D012307:Risk Factors; D012738:Sex Hormone-Binding Globulin / Q000096:biosynthesis
chemical_list: D004966:Estrogens, Conjugated (USP); D012738:Sex Hormone-Binding Globulin; D004970:Estrone; D004958:Estradiol; D007334:Insulin-Like Growth Factor I