CONCENTRATIONS OF ESTRONE, ESTRADIOL, AND ESTRONE SULFATE AND EVALUATION OF SULFATASE AND AROMATASE ACTIVITIES IN PREMENOPAUSAL AND POSTMENOPAUSAL BREAST-CANCER PATIENTS

This report concerns the evaluation of various estrogens, estrone (E(1 )), estradiol(E(2)), and estrone sulfate (E(1)S), as well as E(1)S-sul fatase and aromatase activities in pre- and postmenopausal women with breast cancer. The levels (in picomoles per g; mean +/- SEM) of the va rious estrogens in the breast tissue from premenopausal patients (n = 11) are: E(1), 1.4 +/- 0.5; E(1)S, 1.2 +/- 0.6; and E(1)S, 1.2 +/- 0.3 . In postmenopausal patients (n = 23), the values are, respectively, 1 .0 +/- 0.4, 1.4 +/- 0.7, and 3.3 +/- 1.9. These concentrations of estr ogens in the tumors of postmenopausal patients are significantly highe r than those found in plasma. The activity of E(1)S-sulfatase in both pre- and postmenopausal patients was 50-200 times higher than that of aromatase. E(1)S-sulfatase and aromatase activities are significantly higher in postmenopausal than in cycling patients. It is concluded tha t despite the low levels of circulating estrogens in postmenopausal pa tients, the tissue concentrations of these steroids are several-fold h igher than those in plasma, suggesting tumor accumulation of these est rogens. The physiopathology and clinical significance of these high le vels of the various estrogens (E(1) E(2), and E(1)S) as Nell as sulfat ase and aromatase activities in postmenopausal patients with breast ca ncer is yet to be explored.