Some aspects of the endocrine status in the inflammatory breast carcinoma (Mastitis carcinosa).

The main endocrine features in a group of 87 patients with inflammatory breast carcinoma with very rapid evolution (group I) and those of 400 patients with breast cancer with no inflammatory signs (group II) have been compared. The mean age at menarche showed a significantly higher degree in group I, where the later menarche was reported in 36.8% of cases (greater than or less than 16 years). The mean number of abortions has been decreased in the same groups. No significant differences regarding to parity, lactation and mean age of the menopause have been found in these two groups. The mean values for total urinary estrogens were significantly higher in group I. The main fractions of 17-ketosteroids were estimated in 60 women of group I and 61 women of group II. The mean levels of these hormones were more decreased in group I, the most significantly differences in these two groups were registered for ethiocholanolone. In the most cases with decreased levels of ethiocholanolone, the survival time was also shorter. Such data showed a more prominent endocrine imbalance in the inflammatory breast carcinoma in comparison with breast cancer patients of normal evolution.