Peptide and steroid hormone levels in pre- and postmenopausal breast carcinoma
Bhatavdekar, J.M.; Shah, N.G.; Trivedi, S.N.; Karelia, N.H.
Neoplasma 34(1): 95-99
1987
ISSN/ISBN: 0028-2685 PMID: 3104809 Document Number: 294215
Circulating levels of LH, FSH, prolactin, estradiol, progesterone and testosterone were measured by radioimmunoassay in 15 premenopausal (PR-M) age matched healthy controls, 35 premenopausal breast cancer patients prior to therapy, 20 postmenopausal (PO-M) age matched healthy controls and 68-71 postmenopausal breast cancer patients prior to therapy. The patients had histologically proven breast cancer. In PR-M breast cancer group, the LH and progesterone did not differ significantly whereas prolactin showed marked elevation (p less than 0.001) and estradiol and testosterone showed significant decrease (p less than 0.001). The PO-M breast cancer patients exhibited remarkable increase in the levels of LH, FSH, prolactin and testosterone (p less than 0.001) whereas estradiol and progesterone showed little increase in the levels (p less than 0.2 and less than 0.1, respectively). From the results, it is concluded that prolactin and altered ratio of estrogen and androgen plays a major role in the genesis of breast cancer.