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Urine steroid excretion in postmenopausal cancer of the breast. Response to corticotropin stimulation and dexamethasone suppression
Author(s) -
Schweppe John S.,
Jungman Richard A.,
Lewin Isaac
Publication year - 1967
Publication title -
cancer
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 3.052
H-Index - 304
eISSN - 1097-0142
pISSN - 0008-543X
DOI - 10.1002/1097-0142(1967)20:1<155::aid-cncr2820200122>3.0.co;2-s
Subject(s) - pregnanediol , endocrinology , medicine , excretion , dexamethasone , estrogen , breast cancer , hormone , stimulation , adrenocorticotropic hormone , estrone , basal (medicine) , cancer , insulin
Steroid hormone excretion patterns have been investigated in normal postmenopausal females and in subjects with mammary cancer with and without metastasis. Corticotropin (ACTH) stimulation and dexamethasone suppression tests were performed. Urinary 17‐ketosteroid (17‐KS), estrogens and pregnanediol were determined. Steroid hormone excretion varied widely between individuals under basal, ACTH‐stimulated and dexamethasone‐suppressed conditions. Subjects with mammary cancer differed from normal postmenopausal females in minor ways only. No clear cut excretion pattern was characteristic for a specific group. On ACTH stimulation the titer of estrogen and pregnanediol approached that of the premenopausal female. Dexamethasone failed to suppress estrogen excretion in a significant number of cancer patients. Dexamethasone did not suppress pregnanediol significantly in postmenopausal females or cancer patients. The level of excretion in the postmenopausal state is an individual characteristic and probably in unrelated to the carcinomatous process.