Dehydroepiandrosterone and androstenediol in human primary breast tumours

Dehydroepiandrosterone (DHA) and 5-androstene- 3β,- 17β-diol have been measured in a series of primary human breast tumours. All the tissues contained significant quantities of DHA and there was a negative correlation of these values with the age of the patient. Only just over one half of the tumours contained detectable levels of androstenediol but there was an over-all correlation of this steroid with the DHA, although concentrations of DHA were generally much greater. No relationship between the steroid content of the tumour and the oestrogen receptor levels was established although receptor was not measurable in the relatively small number of tumours which contained high levels of either steroid. Quantities of endogenous C 19 -steroids would seem to be high enough to exert some influence on the activity of the oestrogen receptor in vivo.