The metabolism and production rate of estradiol-17β in premenopausal women with cervical carcinoma

Radioactive estradiol-17β was injected into premenopausal women with cervical carcinoma and healthy controls after which all urine was collected for 5 days and assayed for estrone (E1), estradiol (E2), estriol (E3), and radioactivity associated with these fractions. Endogenous E2 production rates were calculated from the results of these assays. The younger control group (mean age, 30 years) excreted more E1 and had higher E1:E3 and E2:E3 ratios than the older controls (mean age, 45 years). The patients with carcinoma had lower mean E1:E3 and E2:E3 ratios and excreted less of the injected radioactivity in the E1 and E2 fractions than the controls. The mean E2 production rate was increased in the women with Stage 0 carcinoma. The significance of these findings, including the possibility that increased estrogen production (or a relative increase in E3 production) fostered the development of the initial stages of cervical carcinoma, has been discussed