Vacuum-assisted breast biopsy: insight into stress-induced endocrine events.
BACKGROUND
Stereotactic vacuum-assisted breast biopsy (VABB) is used for the assessment of non-palpable mammographic lesions. This study aims to evaluate stress- and anxiety-related endocrine responses during VABB.


METHODS
VABB (11 G, Fischer's table) was performed on 22 women. Serum adrenaline, noradrenaline, prolactin, cortisol, growth hormone, glucose and insulin were measured prior to, during (at 10 and 30 minutes), at the end of and one hour after VABB.


RESULTS
Baseline serum adrenaline and noradrenaline were above the normal range in 14/22 and 13/22 patients, respectively. Baseline serum growth hormone, insulin, prolactin, cortisol were above the normal range in <10% of patients. At all time points, serum prolactin and cortisol exhibited a significant increase from baseline values. Serum noradrenaline and growth hormone were found elevated at the end of and one hour after VABB.


CONCLUSIONS
Immediately before VABB, women are frequently stressed expecting the forthcoming biopsy. The further hormone increase which follows VABB may be attributed to surgical trauma.
Gounaris
Antonia
A
Research Center, Hellenic Anticancer Institute, Athens, Greece.
Zagouri
Flora
F
Sergentanis
Theodoros N
TN
Provatopoulou
Xeni
X
Kalogera
Eleni
E
Sagkriotis
Alexandros
A
Bramis
John
J
Zografos
George C
GC
D001706:Biopsy / Q000379:methods*; D001786:Blood Glucose / Q000032:analysis; D001941:Breast Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000473:pathology*; D004837:Epinephrine / Q000097:blood; D005260:Female; D013006:Growth Hormone / Q000097:blood; D006801:Humans; D006854:Hydrocortisone / Q000097:blood; D007328:Insulin / Q000097:blood; D008875:Middle Aged; D009638:Norepinephrine / Q000097:blood; D011388:Prolactin / Q000097:blood; D013312:Stress, Physiological / Q000097:blood*; D014618:Vacuum
D001786:Blood Glucose; D007328:Insulin; D011388:Prolactin; D013006:Growth Hormone; D006854:Hydrocortisone; D009638:Norepinephrine; D004837:Epinephrine