Gunasegaram R, Peh K L, Loganath A, Ang L C, Thiagaraj D, Kottegoda S R, Ratnam S S
Aust N Z J Surg. 1985 Apr;55(2):127-31. doi: 10.1111/j.1445-2197.1985.tb00871.x.
As part of a programme to assess the para-endocrine behaviour of human infiltrating ductal breast carcinoma among Chinese women, this study was designed to compare (Mann-Whitney U test) the immunoreactive mammary tumour tissue concentrations of follicle stimulating hormone (FSH), luteinizing hormone (LH), human chorionic gonadotrophin (beta-hCG) and prolaction (PRL) at stages I (n = 9), II (n = 12) and III (n = 7) with that of normal breast tissue (n = 8). It was found that with the exception of FSH and beta-hCG in stages I and III significantly elevated concentrations of protein hormones were noted at all stages of malignancy. The possible importance of these findings in multi-stage mammary carcinogenesis is discussed. It is suggested that measurement of LH concentration may provide an endocrine basis to facilitate the diagnosis of tumours to serve as a guide to the biological behaviour of mammary neoplasms.
