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Oestrogens in the initiation and promotion of breast cancer

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  05 December 2011

R. D. Bulbrook ,
R. E. Leake  and
W. D. George
R. D. Bulbrook
Affiliation:
Imperial Cancer Research Fund Laboratory, Department of Surgery, Western Infirmary, Glasgow G11 6NT, Scotland, U.K.
R. E. Leake
Affiliation:
Department of Biochemistry, University of Glasgow, Glasgow G12 8QQ, Scotland, U.K.
W. D. George
Affiliation:
Imperial Cancer Research Fund Laboratory, Department of Surgery, Western Infirmary, Glasgow G11 6NT, Scotland, U.K.
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Synopsis

A wide variety of methods has been used to investigate the role of the oestrogens in the aetiology and clinical course of breast cancer. They include measurements of urinary metabolites and the concentrations of oestrogens in blood, saliva, nipple aspirates, cyst fluids, lymph and breast tissues. The function of the oestrogen-binding proteins has also been examined. There is no clear evidence that an excessive oestrogenic stimulus is a determinant of risk of breast cancer and it may be sensible to question this widely-held belief. Variation in the oestrogenic stimulus within the normal range might be responsible for the observed differences in tumour doubling times and for clonal selection. Case/control studies which do not include some measure of tumour growth rates are not an efficient way of investigating these possibilities. Endogenous androgen concentrations show such a strong correlation with the natural history of the disease that it would seem unwise to investigate the role of the oestrogens without taking the androgens into account. Geographical variation in the incidence of breast cancer is probably not due to racial differences in endocrine function.

Type
Research Article
Information
Proceedings of the Royal Society of Edinburgh, Section B: Biological Sciences , Volume 95: Oestrogen and the Human Breast , 1989 , pp. 67 - 76
Copyright
Copyright © Royal Society of Edinburgh 1989

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