THE RELATIONSHIP OF URINARY AND PLASMA ANDROGENS TO STEROID-RECEPTORSAND MENOPAUSAL STATUS IN BREAST-CANCER PATIENTS AND THEIR INFLUENCE ON SURVIVAL

The relationships between urinary 11-desoxy-17-oxo steroids (11-DOS), the ratio of 11-DOS to urinary 17-hydroxycorticosteroids (urinary disc riminant ratio), plasma levels of the adrenal androgens dehydroepiandr osterone (DHA), DHA sulphate (DHAS), and 7 alpha-hydroxy DHA (7 alpha DHA), and tumour oestrogen receptor (ER) and progesterone receptor (PR ) status were examined in pre, peri-, and postmenopausal women with br east cancer. Androgenic steroids and their metabolites decreased with age in women with breast cancer. In perimenopausal women there was a s ignificant association of PR positive tumours and high androgen levels , whereas in postmenopausal women high androgen levels were associated with ER negative tumours. Survival was significantly related to plasm a DHA level and tumour steroid receptor status. Thus, adrenal androgen levels below the group mean were associated with significantly decrea sed survival in women with postmenopausal receptor-positive tumours, a nd the association was particularly apparent in those who were axillar y node negative. Since the number of patients studied was small these results should be regarded as provisional in nature. Nonetheless, the identification of this subgroup of node negative breast cancer women w ith reduced survival may be important when considering node negative p atients for adjuvant therapy.