INCREASED CIRCULATING LEVELS OF INSULIN-LIKE GROWTH-FACTOR-I AND DECREASED CIRCULATING LEVELS OF INSULIN-LIKE-GROWTH-FACTOR BINDING PROTEIN-1 IN POSTMENOPAUSAL WOMEN WITH ENDOMETRIAL CANCER

In human endometrium insulin-like growth factor binding protein (IGFBP )-1 inhibits the mitogenic action of insulin-like growth factor (IGF)- I by inhibiting the binding of IGF-I to its receptor. Our purpose was to compare circulating levels of IGF-I and IGFBP-1 in women with and w ithout endometrial cancer. We assessed circulating levels of IGF-I and IGFBP-1 and IGFBP-3 in 23 patients with endometrial cancer, 11 patien ts with uterine cervical cancer and 27 healthy control women. The mean circulating level of IGF-I decreased significantly following menopaus e but was not correlated with age in the control group. The body mass index was significantly higher in the endometrial cancer group than in the control group. Analysis of covariance showed that even after the data were adjusted to eliminate the influence of the body mass index, the circulating IGF-I concentration was higher in postmenopausal endom etrial cancer patients than in postmenopausal control subjects. The me an circulating level of IGFBP-1 was significantly lower in postmenopau sal cancer patients than in postmenopausal control subjects. There wer e no significant differences in the serum levels of IGF-I and IGFBP-1 in the patients with cervical cancer and the control group. In conclus ion, an increased circulating concentration of IGF-I and a decreased c irculating concentration of IGFBP-1 are associated with endometrial ca ncer especially in postmenopausal women.