The hormonal milieu in primary breast cancer: A correlation between steroid receptors and serum estradiol, progesterone and prolactin

Abstract

Background and Aim: The female breast is subjected to a life time of h ormonal controls, whose effect is evident at the time of me narche and during the menstrual cycle, pregnancy and lactation. Studies have report ed multiple risk factors for breast cancer, some of which are a reflection of ho rmonally mediated events. The steroid receptors are also served as prognostic fac tors for evaluating the status of malignant tumor of the breast. Estrogen receptor (E R) and progesterone receptor (PgR) formation are influenced by estrogen and progesterone concentration. The aim of this study was to clarify the hormonal milie u of the breast cancer such as Estradiol (E2), Progesterone (Pg), Prolactin (PRL) and their correlation with prognostic factors like ER, PgR. Methods : In this study, we examined fourthy-four samples rem oved from patients with primary breast cancer by radical mastectomy. T he specimens include thirty six malignant and eight benign breast tissues. Bloo d samples were also obtained before surgery. Steroid receptors was assayed by th e method of single-point dextrane-coated charcoal (DCC), hormones by radioimmunoassay. Results : The results demonstrated that serum prolactin was h igher in patients with benign and malignant tumors than that of normal (pr ogesterone 1.5 ng/ml and those of <1.5 ng/ml, it was found that the frequency of PgR + tumors was lower in the formers than the latters ones. Conclusion : It can be concluded that estrogen, up-regulated and progesterone down-regulate the induction of PgR and the breast t umors probably produce high levels of prolactin.