Biomaterial Database

Hormones and hormone receptors in the etiology of breast cancer. 1986

D B Thomas

Many epidemiologic features of breast cancer suggest that endogenous hormones are of importance in the genesis of this disease. Endocrinologic studies based on total levels of various hormones in serum and urine have provided etiologic clues, but have failed to yield a clear understanding of the hormonal aberrations that promote the development of breast cancer. One reason for this is probably that neither urinary hormones, nor total levels of serum hormones accurately reflect biologically active levels to which the cells of origin are exposed. Levels of hormones unbound to serum sex binding globulin may be of more etiologic relevance, and future studies utilizing measurements of such hormone fractions may provide new information of etiologic importance. Some risk factors for breast cancer, especially age at birth of first child, may influence risk by altering the susceptibility of mammary ductal epithelial cells to estrogens or other endogenous hormones by altering the level of hormone receptor proteins in these cells. Additional studies to identify the determinants of hormone receptors in the breast are needed to test this hypothesis.

UI	MeSH Term	Description	Entries
D008423	Maternal Age	The age of the mother in PREGNANCY.	Age, Maternal,Ages, Maternal,Maternal Ages
D011247	Pregnancy	The status during which female mammals carry their developing young (EMBRYOS or FETUSES) in utero before birth, beginning from FERTILIZATION to BIRTH.	Gestation,Pregnancies
D011956	Receptors, Cell Surface	Cell surface proteins that bind signalling molecules external to the cell with high affinity and convert this extracellular event into one or more intracellular signals that alter the behavior of the target cell (From Alberts, Molecular Biology of the Cell, 2nd ed, pp693-5). Cell surface receptors, unlike enzymes, do not chemically alter their ligands.	Cell Surface Receptor,Cell Surface Receptors,Hormone Receptors, Cell Surface,Receptors, Endogenous Substances,Cell Surface Hormone Receptors,Endogenous Substances Receptors,Receptor, Cell Surface,Surface Receptor, Cell
D011960	Receptors, Estrogen	Cytoplasmic proteins that bind estrogens and migrate to the nucleus where they regulate DNA transcription. Evaluation of the state of estrogen receptors in breast cancer patients has become clinically important.	Estrogen Receptor,Estrogen Receptors,Estrogen Nuclear Receptor,Estrogen Receptor Type I,Estrogen Receptor Type II,Estrogen Receptors Type I,Estrogen Receptors Type II,Receptor, Estrogen Nuclear,Receptors, Estrogen, Type I,Receptors, Estrogen, Type II,Nuclear Receptor, Estrogen,Receptor, Estrogen
D001940	Breast	In humans, one of the paired regions in the anterior portion of the THORAX. The breasts consist of the MAMMARY GLANDS, the SKIN, the MUSCLES, the ADIPOSE TISSUE, and the CONNECTIVE TISSUES.	Breasts
D001943	Breast Neoplasms	Tumors or cancer of the human BREAST.	Breast Cancer,Breast Tumors,Cancer of Breast,Breast Carcinoma,Cancer of the Breast,Human Mammary Carcinoma,Malignant Neoplasm of Breast,Malignant Tumor of Breast,Mammary Cancer,Mammary Carcinoma, Human,Mammary Neoplasm, Human,Mammary Neoplasms, Human,Neoplasms, Breast,Tumors, Breast,Breast Carcinomas,Breast Malignant Neoplasm,Breast Malignant Neoplasms,Breast Malignant Tumor,Breast Malignant Tumors,Breast Neoplasm,Breast Tumor,Cancer, Breast,Cancer, Mammary,Cancers, Mammary,Carcinoma, Breast,Carcinoma, Human Mammary,Carcinomas, Breast,Carcinomas, Human Mammary,Human Mammary Carcinomas,Human Mammary Neoplasm,Human Mammary Neoplasms,Mammary Cancers,Mammary Carcinomas, Human,Neoplasm, Breast,Neoplasm, Human Mammary,Neoplasms, Human Mammary,Tumor, Breast
D004812	Epidemiologic Methods	Research techniques that focus on study designs and data gathering methods in human and animal populations.	Epidemiologic Method,Epidemiological Methods,Methods, Epidemiologic,Epidemiological Method,Method, Epidemiologic,Method, Epidemiological,Methods, Epidemiological
D005260	Female		Females
D006728	Hormones	Chemical substances having a specific regulatory effect on the activity of a certain organ or organs. The term was originally applied to substances secreted by various ENDOCRINE GLANDS and transported in the bloodstream to the target organs. It is sometimes extended to include those substances that are not produced by the endocrine glands but that have similar effects.	Hormone,Hormone Receptor Agonists,Agonists, Hormone Receptor,Receptor Agonists, Hormone
D006801	Humans	Members of the species Homo sapiens.	Homo sapiens,Man (Taxonomy),Human,Man, Modern,Modern Man