Evaluation of Feasibility for a Case-Control Study of Pituitary-Ovarian Function in Premenopausal Women with Breast Cancer
Abstract
Elevated serum estrogen levels in postmenopausal women have been shown to increase the risk of breast cancer. However, the association of serum estrogens with breast cancer in premenopausal women has not been established. The purpose of this study is to determine the safety and feasibility of conducting a case-control study that uses gonadotropin releasing hormone (GnHR) stimulation tests to evaluate the sensitivity of the hypothalamic pituitary ovarian (H-P-O) axis in premenopausal women with breast cancer compared to unaffected premenopausal women. The full-scale study will determine if: 1) the anterior pituitary of pre-menopausal women with breast cancer secretes more luteinizing hormone (LH) and follicle stimulating hormone (FSH) in response to GnRH compared to controls; 2) the ovaries of pre-menopausal women with breast cancer secrete more estradiol and testosterone in response to gonadotropins, and this is related to their higher insulin like growth factor-1 (IGF-l) levels compared to controls; 3) increased estradiol production by the ovaries in premenopausal women with breast cancer is due to increased enzyme activity at a specific step in steroidogenesis.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Jul 01, 2005
- Accession Number
- ADA437871
Entities
People
- Joanne F. Dorgan
Organizations
- Fox Chase Cancer Center