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Effects of prednisolone on sex hormone binding globulin during primary endocrine treatment of advanced breast cancer

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Summary

Serum sex hormone binding globulin (SHBG) was measured in 21 pre and 39 postmenopausal women with advanced breast cancer before treatment and 1, 3, 6, 9 and 12 months after ovarian irradiation or during continuous administration of tamoxifen at a dose of 10 mg twice daily, respectively; some patients received additional prednisolone at a dose of 5 mg twice a day.

Ovarian irradiation was associated with a 25% reduction in serum SHBG levels 3 to 6 months after treatment whilst patients on tamoxifen experienced a rise of about 80% in serum SHBG levels after 1 to 3 months. In postmenopausal women prednisolone markedly dampened the effect of tamoxifen, reducing a 80% rise to about 20%. There was no relationship between SHBG levels and response to treatment.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Imperial Cancer Research Fund, 123 Lincoln's Inn Fields, WC2A 3PX, London, United Kingdom

    D. Y. Wang, G. M. G. Clark, J. W. Moore & R. D. Bulbrook

  2. Department of Clinical Oncology, Guy's Hospital, SE1 9RT, London, United Kingdom

    R. D. Rubens

Authors
  1. D. Y. Wang
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  2. R. D. Rubens
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  3. G. M. G. Clark
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  4. J. W. Moore
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  5. R. D. Bulbrook
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Wang, D.Y., Rubens, R.D., Clark, G.M.G. et al. Effects of prednisolone on sex hormone binding globulin during primary endocrine treatment of advanced breast cancer. Breast Cancer Res Tr 11, 67–70 (1988). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01807560

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01807560

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