Effect of breast surgery on serum levels of insulin-like growth factors (IGF-I, IGF-II, and IGF binding protein-3) in women with benign and malignant breast lesions.
BACKGROUND
There is evidence that insulin-like growth factors play a role in the development of breast cancer. Antiestrogens reduce circulating levels of IGF-I, but the influence of other breast cancer treatments, including surgery, is unknown and is investigated in this study.


METHODS
Circulating serum concentrations of IGF-I, IGF-II, and IGF binding protein-3 (IGFBP-3) were measured before and after breast surgery in 31 patients with breast cancer and 12 controls with benign breast lesions. Serum albumin was measured as a marker of the nonspecific metabolic effect of surgery.


RESULTS
Serum IGF-I, IGF-II, IGFBP-3, and albumin fell 24 hours after surgery for breast cancer but largely normalized again over the next 7 days. The fall in IGF-I and IGFBP-3 was not significant when the change in serum albumin was used as a covariate, suggesting a nonspecific effect of surgery. However, the reduction in IGF-II remained significant when adjusted for albumin and was greater after lumpectomy of malignant tumors (-8 +/- 2%) compared with benign disease (2 +/- 2%, P = .001). The fall in IGF-II was significantly related to the size of the removed tumor.


CONCLUSIONS
Breast cancer may directly influence the serum concentration of IGF-II, possibly by direct tumor production.
Holdaway
I M
IM
Department of Endocrinology, School of Medicine, Auckland University, New Zealand.
Lethaby
A E
AE
Mason
B H
BH
Singh
V
V
Harman
J E
JE
MacCormick
M
M
Civil
I D
ID
D000328:Adult; D000418:Albumins / Q000378:metabolism; D001941:Breast Diseases / Q000097:blood; D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000097:blood* / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D018972:Insulin-Like Growth Factor Binding Protein 3 / Q000097:blood* / Q000378:metabolism; D007334:Insulin-Like Growth Factor I / Q000378:metabolism*; D007335:Insulin-Like Growth Factor II / Q000378:metabolism*; D008408:Mastectomy; D008875:Middle Aged; D011960:Receptors, Estrogen / Q000032:analysis; D011980:Receptors, Progesterone / Q000032:analysis
D000418:Albumins; D018972:Insulin-Like Growth Factor Binding Protein 3; D011960:Receptors, Estrogen; D011980:Receptors, Progesterone; D007334:Insulin-Like Growth Factor I; D007335:Insulin-Like Growth Factor II