SERUM PROGESTERONE AT THE TIME OF SURGERY AND SURVIVAL IN WOMEN WITH PREMENOPAUSAL OPERABLE BREAST-CANCER

Serum progesterone and oestradiol levels have been measured in 210 pre menopausal women with operable breast cancer on samples taken within 3 days of tumour excision. There was no relation between oestradiol lev el and time since last menstrual period, nor any effect of oestradiol value on prognosis. However, serum progesterone levels were related to the phase of the cycle as determined by time since last menstrual per iod. When divided on a basis of levels > 1.5 ng/ml (luteal phase) and less than or equal to 1.5 ng/ml, it was found that there was no differ ence in survival between the two groups among 117 axillary node negati ve cases. However, in the 93 patients with positive axillary nodes, hi gher progesterone levels were associated with significantly better sur vival. Thus, serum progesterone levels at the time of surgery may affe ct the prognosis of premenopausal node positive patients with operable breast cancer.