PLASMA 17-HYDROXYCORTICOSTEROIDS AND 17-OXOSTEROIDS IN PATIENTS WITH BREAST CANCER AND IN NORMAL WOMEN

Abstract

SUMMARY (1) 17-Hydroxycorticosteroids (17-OHCS) and 17-oxosteroids were measured in the plasma of normal women, patients with early breast cancer and in patients with advanced metastatic disease. (2) The mean plasma 17-OHCS level was found to be normal in the early stages of the disease but was raised in the advanced disease. In both groups of patients the variance was significantly greater than in normal women. (3) The mean plasma 17-oxosteroid level in both early and advanced breast cancer was not significantly different from the normal level but the variance was increased. (4) There is a significant correlation between the plasma 17-OHCS and 17-oxosteroids in normal women which was not found in the cancer patients. (5) In patients with advanced breast cancer, the levels of plasma 17-oxosteroids were significantly correlated with the amounts of 11-deoxy-17-oxosteroids found in the urine. There was no correlation between plasma and urinary 17-OHCS. (6) The physiological significance of these findings is discussed.