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Oestrogens in breast tumours and fat

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  05 December 2011

J. H. H. Thijssen  and
M. A. Blankenstein
J. H. H. Thijssen
Affiliation:
Department of Endocrinology, University Hospital, Catharijnesingel 101, 3511 GV Utrecht, The Netherlands
M. A. Blankenstein
Affiliation:
Department of Endocrinology, University Hospital, Catharijnesingel 101, 3511 GV Utrecht, The Netherlands
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Synopsis

The levels of endogenous steroids in the target tissues are thought to be more closely related to the biological effects than their concentrations in plasma. Therefore studies on oestrogen levels in malignant and non-malignant breast tissues (expressed per g wet weight) were conducted and the following conclusions were drawn:

(1) malignant tumours contained higher oestradiol levels than normal or benign breast tissues, whereas oestrone levels were more comparable;

(2) in contrast to the large decrease in plasma concentrations after menopause, the levels of oestradiol in tumours and in normal breast tissue did not change with advancing age;

(3) the oestradiol levels in breast tissues were lower than in uterine tissues, particularly in women before menopause; oestrone levels were very similar in all tissues studied;

(4) the mean oestradiol level was higher in oestrogen-receptor-positive tumours, but no correlation between the two parameters was found;

(5) preliminary results indicated lower oestradiol levels in tumours obtained from countries with a lower incidence of breast cancer;

(6) as far as available, oestrone levels were comparable and those of oestradiol were lower in fat tissues than in breast tumours;

(7) neither in vitro studies with breast tumours, nor in vivo results using myometrial tissues support a prominent role of the metabolism of oestrogens at the 16α-position in the development of tumours;

(8) the role of local factors in the production, retention and metabolism of oestradiol in the breast remains to be elucidated.

Type
Research Article
Information
Proceedings of the Royal Society of Edinburgh, Section B: Biological Sciences , Volume 95: Oestrogen and the Human Breast , 1989 , pp. 161 - 168
Copyright
Copyright © Royal Society of Edinburgh 1989

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