CATECHOLAMINE EXCRETION IN SMOKING FEMALE BREAST-CANCER PATIENTS - A POSSIBLE RELATION TO THE MECHANISMS OF HORMONAL CARCINOGENESIS

Epinephrine and norepinephrine concentrations in 24-hr urine were test ed in 68 breast cancer patients on I-IIa clinical stages of the diseas e. 19 patients (16 of them had a preserved menstrual cycle) were smoke rs. According to average data, no difference in catecholamine excretio n between smokers and non-smokers was found. In patients smoking in av erage more than 10 cigarettes/day, norepinephrine and total catecholam ine secretion was higher than in non-smokers or moderately smoking wom en. Increased catecholamine excretion in smoking women may reflect the activation of sympathoadrenal system in addition to the response to s tress reaction associated with tumor presence. On the other hand, smok ing itself and increased catecholamine production caused by it may res ult in changes of catecholestrogen synthesis and metabolism. Some cate cholestrogen produce genotoxic carcinogenic effect, and this fact may partially explain a possible modifying influence of smoking on the mec hanisms of hormonal carcinogenesis.