Correlations between serum progesterone and smoking, and the growth fraction of cervical squamous cell carcinoma

Background: Possible correlations between growth fraction of squamous cervi cal carcinomas and serum progesterone (se-P) concentrations, smoking habits and DNA ploidy were studied. Materials and Methods: The DNA S-phase fracti on (SPF), measured by flow cytometry was used as a marker of tumour growth in 103 cases of squamous cervical cancer stage IB-IV. DNA-ploidy (peridiplo idy vs. aneuploidy), Se-P, se-Estradiol, smoking habits, parity menopausal status, clinical stage and histopathological grading were compared to SPF < 14% vs. SPF <greater than or equal to>14%. Results: Aneuploidy, (odds ratio (OR) 10.0) se-P greater than or equal to2.6 nmol/l (OR 7.5) and smoking (O R 3.0) were significantly associated with SPF greater than or equal to 14% after adjustments for all factors included in the study. The association wi th se-P and smoking was attributed to an increased risk for the premenopaus al women in the study. Discussion: In this study an increased tumour growth was associated with increased leves of se-P, smoking and aneuploidy in wom en with invasive squamous cervical carcinoma. This study seems to experimen tally confirm epidemiological studies, where smoking and long-term use of o ral contraceptives have been linked to cervical neoplasms.