SERUM HORMONAL PROFILE AND ITS CLINICAL UTILITY IN BREAST CANCER PATIENTS AMONG TAMIL WOMEN

Abstract

Breast cancer is mostly hormone dependent. The present research work was aimed to investigate the hormonal profile and its clinical significance among breast cancer patients of Tamil women. This study comprises of 75 breast cancer patients divided into 3 stages namely, non-metastatic, metastatic and post-treatment groups. Three sex steroid hormones namely Estradiol (E2), progesterone and testosterone; three Gonadotrophins namely, Follicle stimulating hormone (FSH), Leutenising hormone (LH) and human chorionic gonadotrophin (β - hCG) and one peptide hormone, prolactin was estimated. Significant elevation was found in the level of estradiol, progesterone and testosterone in non-metastatic and metastatic groups. Among gonadotrophins, human chorionic gonadotrophin (β- hCG) has shown marked elevation in metastasis. Prolactin (PRL) was also significantly elevated in non-metastatic and metastatic groups. In post treatment group, reduction was observed in the levels of almost all hormones with estrogen and prolactin being predominant. Since marked variation was found in the level of estrogen before and after treatment, it may serves as a powerful predictive parameter of breast cancer and in disease prognosis. β- hCG may be used as an indicator of metastasis. PRL level may be used to predict the disease response to therapy.