PROGESTERONE RESISTANCE IN WOMEN WHO HAVE HAD BREAST-CANCER

Objective To investigate whether certain physiological responses to lu teal progesterone are normal in women previously treated for breast ca ncer. Design Salivary progesterone concentrations, basal body temperat ures, and breast blood flow changes (surface temperature method) were all recorded daily for one natural menstrual cycle. Setting Participan ts in the study made saliva collections and temperature measurements a t home under semi-standardised conditions with supervisory visits by a project nurse. Participants Twenty-five controls were compared with 3 0 women with previous breast cancer; all but three participants were p arous and the average ages were 39 years (range 28-48) and 40 years (r ange 29-46), respectively. On average the women with previous breast c ancer had had surgery 2.4 years previously; the operation was usually mastectomy, leaving the contralateral breast for study. Results Follic ular phase (day 1-14) oral temperature averages were statistically ind istinguishable between women in the control group and those with previ ous breast cancer. Luteal progesterone profiles were considered in the normal range for the controls and patients. However, the women with p revious breast cancer, on average, exhibited a significantly smaller r ise in the luteal phase basal body temperature. Follicular phase breas t surface temperature was significantly higher in the breast cancer gr oup (+-0.30 degrees C). This group showed a highly significant reducti on of the luteal heat cycle in their breasts. Conclusions Two progeste rone-mediated physiological mechanisms have been found to be significa ntly less responsive in women with previous breast cancer than control s. The literature has been reviewed. Progesterone resistance could be a clinical entity and could be important in carcinogenesis.