R. Vlădăreanu *, Simona Fica **, C. Andrei ***
* Conf. dr. Radu Vlădăreanu, șeful Clinicii de Obstetrică Ginecologie, Spitalul Universitar de Urgență, “Elias”, București
** Conf. dr. Simona Fica, șeful Clinicii de Endocrinologie, Spitalul Universitar de Urgență “Elias”, București
*** Dr. Cristian Andrei, medic primar, Clinica de Endocrinologie, Spitalul “Elias”, București
Abstract
The neoplazic mammary tissue contains all the enzymes responsible of local biosinthesis of estradiol (E2) from circulating precursors.In the final steps of E2 formation in breast cancer tissue are implicated the aromatase pathway, that transform androgen into estrogen and the estron-sulfatase pathway, that converts estrone sulfate into estrone,but the final step is the conversion of weak E1 to potent biologically active E2 via reductive 17β-hydroxisteriod dehydrogenase type 1 activity. It is also well estabilished that steroid sulfotr ansferases, which convert estrogens into their sulfates are present in breast cancer tissues. Various progestins, as well as tibolone and its metabolites.have been shown to inhibit estrone-sulfatase and 17β-hydroxisteroid dehydrogenase, therefore these progestins may provide a new option for the treatment of breast cancer. In vitro results indicate that not all progestogens act equally on breast cancer cells. Recent data show that some progestins oppose the favorable metabolic effect of estrogens on mammary tissue by influencing IGF-1 and the enzymes who are responsible of estradiol synthesis.