Steroid excretion studies in breast cancer

Sim, Angus W (1963) Steroid excretion studies in breast cancer. PhD thesis, University of Glasgow.

Abstract

Changes in the hormonal environment induced by endocrine ablation women with metastatic breast cancer have boon defined and compared with the clinical Course of the disease. Adrenalectomy plus oophorectomy causes more profound decreases in steroid hormone secretion and excretion than does pituitary implantation with 90-Yttrium, but does not appear to produce a higher proportion of remissions or remissions of longer duration. The precoperative excretion of one or more of these steroids is no guide to the subsequent response of the patient to treatment. In a considerable proportion of the cases, steroids of presumed adrenocortioal origin are still exeroted postoperatively but in a manner quite unrelated to the cause of cancer. "Withdrawal of the maintenance therapy for a limited period, in order to define more clearly endogenous adrenal function, was also unable to demonstrate any significant difference between responding and none-responding patients. The favourable outcome of treatment in about 20 per cent of Oases lends support to the concept of "hormone responsiveness" of certain breast cancers, although the relationship between the disease and the endocrine system is obviously more complex than would permit the designation of these tumours as "oestrogen dependent". Eventual relapse of the disease is however inevitable, and intensive study of the hormonal environment in the same patient when the disease was in remission and later when it was progressing again was unable to demonstrate changes which could be responsible. It must be concluded that this alteration in the behaviour of the tumour is due to changes in the nature of the cancer rather than changes in the hormonal stimulus, as demonstrable by the present methods of steroid hormone assay.

• Item Type: Thesis (PhD)
• Qualification Level: Doctoral
• Additional Information: Adviser: J N Davidson
• Keywords: Oncology, Endocrinology
• Date of Award: 1963
• Depositing User: Enlighten Team
• Unique ID: glathesis:1963-73190
• Copyright: Copyright of this thesis is held by the author.
• Date Deposited: 14 Jun 2019 08:56
• Last Modified: 14 Jun 2019 08:56
• URI: https://theses.gla.ac.uk/id/eprint/73190