Relationships between androgen and estrogen sulfates in breast cyst fluid.

In 28 breast cyst fluids obtained from 20 patients (age 29-65 years) sodium, potassium and the sulfates (S) of estrone (E1), estradiol (E2), dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA) and androsterone (A) were determined. The radioimmunoassays (RIA) used were validated for this particular biological fluid. According to electrolyte ratio (Na+/K+) the cyst fluids were subdivided into two groups: the first with low (less than 3) (n = 16) and the other with high (greater than 3) (n = 12) values. Markedly higher steroid sulfate levels were observed in the first group, the mean levels being: 147.7 nmol/l, 54.6 nmol/l, 108.1 mumol/l and 158.0 mumol/l for E1S, E2S, DHEAS and AS respectively. The mean levels in the second group were: 13.6 nmol/l, 6.7 nmol/l, 68.8 mumol/l and 33.6 mumol/l for E1S, E2S, DHEAS and AS, respectively. In the first group only E1S and E2S levels were significantly correlated (r = 0.51; P less than 0.05). Conversely, the steroid sulfate levels were significantly correlated with each other in the group with high electrolyte ratio. These data have confirmed preceding results and have clearly shown that breast cyst fluids with low electrolyte ratio contain more E2S than the other group. This finding might be correlated with the fact that patients with these breast cysts lined by with apocrine epithelium may be at a greater risk of breast cancer than those with the other type.