This Article Full Text (PDF) Submit a related Letter to the Editor Alert me when this article is cited Alert me when eLetters are posted Alert me if a correction is posted Citation Map Services Email this article to a friend Similar articles in this journal Similar articles in PubMed Alert me to new issues of the journal Download to citation manager Request Copyright Permission Citing Articles Citing Articles via HighWire Citing Articles via Google Scholar Google Scholar Articles by NAGAMANI, M. Articles by DINH, T. V. Search for Related Content PubMed PubMed Citation Articles by NAGAMANI, M. Articles by DINH, T. V.

Ovarian Steroid Secretion in Postmenopausal Women with and without Endometrial Cancer^*

Department of Obstetrics and Gynecoloty, Division of Reproductive Endocrinoloy and Oncology, University of Texas Medical Branch Galveston, Texas 77550

Address requests for reprints to: Dr. Manubai Nagamani, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecolohgy, The University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, Texas 77550

The concentrations of testosterone (T), androstenedione (A), estradiol (E2), and estrone (El) were measured in peripheral and ovarian venous serum obtained at the time of bilateral oophorectomy from 15 postmenopausal women with endometrial cancer and 9 without cancer. The cancer and noncancer (control) patients were matched for age, weight, and years since menopause. In women with endometrial cancer, significantly higher ovarian than peripheral venous concentrations were found for all hormones measured [T, 3781 ± 1255 (±SE) vs. 213 ± 43 pg/ml (P < 0.01); A, 5352 ± 1845 vs. 1299 ± 187 pg/ml (P < 0.04); E2, 52 ± 11 us. 23 ± 3 pg/ml (P < 0.02);El, 81 ± 12 vs. 32 ± 2 pg/ml (P < 0.001)], but in the control patients, only the concentration of T was significantly higher (623 ± 108 vs. 156 ± 21 p/gml; P < 0.001). Ovarian venous concentrations of T and A were significantly higher in thin women with cancer than in obese women with cancer. These results suggest that the ovaries of postmenopausal women with endometrial cancer secrete significantly more T and A than do the ovaries of women without cancer, while secreting only minimal amountsof E2 and El. This increase in ovarian steroid secretion might play a role in the pathogenesis of endometrial cancer.

^* Presented in part at the Seventh International Congress of Endocrinology,July 1984.

Received August 8, 1985.

This article has been cited by other articles:

				M. Matsumoto, Y. Yamaguchi, Y. Seino, A. Hatakeyama, H. Takei, H. Niikura, K. Ito, T. Suzuki, H. Sasano, N. Yaegashi, et al. Estrogen signaling ability in human endometrial cancer through the cancer-stromal interaction Endocr. Relat. Cancer, June 1, 2008; 15(2): 451 - 463. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				R. H. Fogle, F. Z. Stanczyk, X. Zhang, and R. J. Paulson Ovarian Androgen Production in Postmenopausal Women J. Clin. Endocrinol. Metab., August 1, 2007; 92(8): 3040 - 3043. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				T. Segawa, M. Shozu, K. Murakami, T. Kasai, K. Shinohara, K. Nomura, S. Ohno, and M. Inoue Aromatase Expression in Stromal Cells of Endometrioid Endometrial Cancer Correlates with Poor Survival Clin. Cancer Res., March 15, 2005; 11(6): 2188 - 2194. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				M. Nagamani and R. J. Urban Expression of Messenger Ribonucleic Acid Encoding Steroidogenic Enzymes in Postmenopausal Ovaries Reproductive Sciences, January 1, 2003; 10(1): 37 - 40. [Abstract] [PDF]

				R. Kaaks, A. Lukanova, and M. S. Kurzer Obesity, Endogenous Hormones, and Endometrial Cancer Risk: A Synthetic Review Cancer Epidemiol. Biomarkers Prev., December 1, 2002; 11(12): 1531 - 1543. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]