Relationship between Serum Stress Hormone Profile and Breast Cancer in Saudi Patients

Breast cancer, which is the most common type of cancer, is influenced by endogenous hormones. When women suffer from depression some hormone levels increase leading to cell proliferation and abnormal cell growth. Relative alteration in the hormone profile may however associate with mood and stress factors. In the current work stress hormones such as prolactin and cortisol as well as female hormones such as estradiol and progesterone and the male hormone androgen(androstenedione) as well as superoxide dismutase enzyme were investigated in the blood serum of some Saudi female breast cancer patients to confirm if there is a relationship between these hormones and breast cancer. Twenty seven breast cancer females as well as thirty two control subjects were investigated. Their age ranged between 30-70 years. According to the clinical investigation on the patients, there was a high risk of breast cancer in relation to early menarche, age at first birth, obesity, drug medication and hormone replacement therapy (HRT). The highest significant difference was observed between control subjects and patients in relation to estradiol, progesterone and androstenedione levels while there was no significant difference between control subjects and patients in relation to prolactin, cortisol and SOD. A positive result was obtained with women who received HRT and fertility drug who had a chance of 19.5 times and 11.5 times to get breast cancer than those who did not receive the treatment.