Prolactin concentration in milk and blood of patients with galactorrhoea

Abstract

Prolactin (Prl) exerts important biological actions on the mammary gland being responsible, with other hormones, for milk production. Its presence and concentration in milk of nursing mothers (Healy et al. 1980) and in breast duct – fluid of nonlactating women (Wynder & Hill, 1977) has been determined in recent years. It has been suggested that milk Prl estimations in association with pre – and post – suckling serum determinations of this hormone may become a potentially satisfactory procedure for establishing Prl requirements for efficient milk production (Healy et al. 1980). Furthermore, from a physiopathological point of view, Prl in breast fluid has been listed amongst the factors associated with the induction and development of experimental breast cancer, thus providing a possible link between high Prl concentration in breast duct – fluid and the incidence of breast cancer in Western women. In view of these associations, and the absence of any