STEROID GRADIENTS ACROSS THE CANCEROUS BREAST - AN INDEX OF ALTERED STEROID-METABOLISM IN BREAST-CANCER

The concentrations of 17 beta-estradiol, estrone, testosterone (T), de hydroepiandrosterone (DHEA), dehydroepiandrosterone sulphate, androste nedione (A), cortisol and prolactin (PRL) were determined in the perip heral venous blood and in the lateral thoracic vein of 14 premenopausa l and 34 postmenopausal women who underwent surgery for a breast carci noma. The difference between the two blood samples, defined as concent ration gradient across the cancerous breast, was calculated for all ho rmones. A significant peripheral-local concentration gradient was foun d for DHEA and A both in pre- and postmenopausal patients, whereas for T it was observed only in postmenopausal subjects. Furthermore, DHEA and A gradients were correlated to the presence of estrogen receptors as determined by a radioligand binding assay. An inverse relationship between DHEA gradient and the expression of estrogen receptors was obs erved in premenopausal women, whereas in postmenopausal patients an op posite, although not significant, trend was found. These results sugge st that in the cancerous breast: (1) DHEA, A and T (the latter only in postmenopause) could be taken up from plasma, and thus there could be a storage of these steroids inside the breast tissue and/or perhaps s ome alterations in their local metabolism; (2) androgens could play a different role in breast carcinogenesis in relation to the estrogen ci rculating levels and to the expression of estrogen receptors.