Dc. Johannessen et al., PLASMA AND URINARY ESTROGENS IN BREAST-CANCER PATIENTS ON TREATMENT WITH 4-HYDROXYANDROSTENEDIONE, British Journal of Cancer, 68(2), 1993, pp. 393-398
Plasma and urinary oestrogens were measured in nine breast cancer pati
ents (eight postmenopausal women and one,man) before and during treatm
ent with the aromatase inhibitor 4-hydroxyandrostenedione. Urinary oes
trogens were measured by using a highly specific GC-MS method. Plasma
levels of oestrone. oestradiol and oestrone sulphate were suppressed b
y 66.6% (+/- 3.6%), 57.7% (+/- 5.1%) and 51.8% (+/- 6.4%) respectively
(P<0.005 for all). Twenty-four hour urinary excretion of total oestro
gens, oestradiol, oestriol. 2-hydroxyoestrone, 16alpha-hydroxyoestrone
and the minor metabolites 16beta - and 15alpha-hydroxyoestrone were a
ll suppressed by mean values ranging from 60% to 82%, (oestradiol. P<0
.025, otherwise P<0.005). There were no significant changes in the rat
ios between the different plasma oestrogens. The finding of sustained
plasma and urinary oestrogens at 20-40% compared to their control leve
ls indirectly support a hypothesis of alternative oestrogen sources in
postmenopausal breast cancer patients on treatment with 4-hydroxyandr
ostenedione.