Steroids as procarcinogenic agents.
Although hormones produced in the body are normally considered to be beneficial in such matters as life, male and female development, fertility, and blood pressure regulation, these same compounds can act in some circumstances as carcinogens or carcinogen facilitators, In some such cases increased amounts of the hormone or changes in the formation of its metabolites might be responsible. In other cases the timing of hormone release plays a critical role. In some cases the hormone acts independently, while in others two or more compounds act in concert to promote cancer. The various compounds will be discussed separately, since they usually cause different kinds of cancer. Of the various hormones produced in the body, only aldosterone does not cause any cancers, although excess aldosterone can cause Conn's syndrome, which may be detected by the resultant hypertension.
Bradlow
H Leon
HL
The David and Alice Jurist Institute for Biomedical Research, HUMC, 30 Prospect Ave., Hackensack, NJ 07601, USA. lbradlow@humed.com
Sepkovic
Daniel W
DW
D000728:Androgens / Q000378:metabolism; D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D002273:Carcinogens; D045744:Cell Line, Tumor; D019363:Cytochrome P-450 CYP1A1 / Q000737:chemistry; D019388:Cytochrome P-450 CYP1A2 / Q000378:metabolism; D003687:Dehydroepiandrosterone / Q000737:chemistry; D004967:Estrogens / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D006854:Hydrocortisone / Q000737:chemistry; D008297:Male; D008956:Models, Chemical; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000209:etiology / Q000378:metabolism*; D011110:Polymorphism, Genetic; D011374:Progesterone / Q000378:metabolism; D011471:Prostatic Neoplasms / Q000139:chemically induced* / Q000473:pathology; D011980:Receptors, Progesterone / Q000378:metabolism; D013256:Steroids / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000378:metabolism; D013739:Testosterone / Q000378:metabolism; D013997:Time Factors; D014158:Transcription, Genetic; D002583:Uterine Cervical Neoplasms / Q000473:pathology
D000728:Androgens; D002273:Carcinogens; D004967:Estrogens; D011980:Receptors, Progesterone; D013256:Steroids; D013739:Testosterone; D003687:Dehydroepiandrosterone; D011374:Progesterone; D019363:Cytochrome P-450 CYP1A1; D019388:Cytochrome P-450 CYP1A2; D006854:Hydrocortisone