Steroid Hormones and Tumors. Tumorigenic and Anti-tumorigenic Actions of Steroid Hormones and the Steroid Homeostasis. Experimental Aspects

Abstract

Steroid Hormones and Tumors. Tumorigenic and Antitumorigenic Actions of Steroid Hormones and the Steroid Homeostasis. Experimental Aspects. By ALEXANDER LIPSCHUTZ, M.D. , Formerly Professor of Physiology, Hon. M. Roy. Soc. Med. (Endocrinol.), Director of Depar tment of Experimental Medicine, National Heal th Service of Chile. 309 pp., I l l figs. $6.00. Balt imore: The Williams & Wilkins Company, 1950. The monograph Steroid Hormones and Tumors by Alexander Lipschutz summarizes the contributions of the author and his collaborators to the subject of experimental tumori genesis. From the study of experimental conditions which permit the reproducible development of neoplasms by steroids in animals the author seeks for a bet ter comprehension of some of the elements which give rise to tumors, the ult imate goal being an understanding of the origin and approach to t reatment of neoplasm in the human. Dr . Lipschutz and his group were concerned primarily with the steroids of the estrogenic series. Under given conditions the administration of these compounds to guinea pigs is followed by the appearance of fibromata scattered throughout the peritoneal cavity. Analysis of these conditions confirms classical concepts of neoplastic origin obtained by other experimental approaches. Since continuously absorbed estrogen, even in small amounts, can give rise to these tumors, Dr . Lipschutz seeks to explain the action in terms of disturbed physiologic consequences. However, it becomes clear t ha t our understanding of hypophysealgonadal-adrenal-liver relation is only hazy enough for us to reach a stage of conjecture rather than theory relative to this problem. Compounds like progesterone and testosterone can prevent the appearance of fibromata following estrogen administration. This leads the author to the opinion tha t the relatively low incidence of spontaneous tumors of this type in various species may be due to normal secretion of these substances during the reproductive period. The fact tha t Lipschutz was able to dissociate tumorigenic and ant i tumorigenic action from the so-called physiologic actions of the various steroids might suggest tha t the observed physiologic changes were secondary to pharmacologic effects. This volume, although more limited than its ti t le suggests, is a provocative and stimulating treatise expressively written by an author engaged completely by the subject a t hand.