Hormones and Human Breast Cancer

Recent Results in Cancer Research: Hormones and Human Breast Cancer provides information pertinent to the fundamental aspects of breast cancer and hormones. This book discusses the endocrine factors involved in breast cancer. Organized into two parts encompassing 11 chapters, this book begins with an overview of the process of castration as an effective therapeutic measure in many pre-menopausal patients with advanced breast cancer. This text then discusses the response rate following ablation wherein only 60 percent of patients subjected to hormone therapy as a first treatment for recurrence will survive to ablation. Other chapters consider the microscopical features of a tumor. This book discusses as well the prescription of corticosteroids as treatment, which originates from the mechanism of response that followed adrenalectomy or hypophysectomy. The final chapter deals with the use of radio-immunoassay methods in treating breast cancer. This book is a valuable resource for biochemists, scientists, and physicians.

Chapter 1 Historical Developments

Animal Studies

Human Studies

References

Part I — Hormones in Treatment and Prophylaxis

Chapter 2 The Ovaries

1. Castration in the Advanced Disease

Castration as a Prophylactic Measure

The Comparative Values of Therapeutic and Prophylactic Castration

Surgical Castration Compared with Irradiation Castration

The Physiological Significance of Castration

Summary and Conclusions

References

Chapter 3 The Adrenals and the Pituitary

1. The Remission Rates from Adrenalectomy and Hypophysectomy

2. The Timing of Adrenalectomy and Hypophysectomy

3. The Comparative Results of Hormone Therapy and Ablation

4. Techniques

5. Endocrine Changes after Ablation

Summary and Conclusions

References

Chapter 4 Tests of Prediction

1. Clinical Methods

2. Hormone Assays

Summary and Conclusions

References

Chapter 5 Androgens and Oestrogens

1. Response

2. Factors Associated with Hormone Action

3. Choice of Compound and Dosage

4. Comparison of Androgens and Oestrogens

5. The Place of Androgens in Prophylaxis

6. Mode of Action

7. Hypercalcaemia

Summary and Conclusions

References

Chapter 6 Corticosteroids and Progestogens

1. Corticosteroids

2. Progestogens

Summary and Conclusions

References

Part II — The Hormonal Environment and Hormone Assays

Chapter 7 Antecedent and Racial Factors

1. Heredity

2. Marriage

3. Pregnancy and Parity

4. Lactation

5. Menstrual History and the Menopause

6. Bilateral Disease

7. Gynaecological Disease

8. Racial Factors

Summary and Conclusions

References

Chapter 8 Oestrogens

Exogenous Oestrogens

Endogenous Oestrogens

Summary and Conclusions

References

Chapter 9 Androgens and Corticosteroids

The Guernsey Trial

Plasma Studies

Summary and Conclusions

References

Chapter 10 Pituitary and Thyroid Hormones

1. Gonadotrophins

2. Growth Hormone and Prolactin

Thyroid

1. Thyroid Disease and the Incidence of Breast Cancer

2. Thyroid Factors in the Established Disease

3. Thyroid as Treatment

4. Thyroid Effects on Endocrine Metabolism

Summary and Conclusions

References

Chapter 11 The Present and the Future