Related Experiment Video
Updated: Aug 19, 2026

A Modified In vitro Invasion Assay to Determine the Potential Role of Hormones, Cytokines and/or Growth Factors in Mediating Cancer Cell Invasion
Published on: April 24, 2015
Sex hormones and cancer
1Imperial Cancer Research Fund, Cancer Epidemiology Unit, Radcliffe Infirmary, Oxford, United Kingdom.
Abstract:
There are few instances in which a clear effect of hormones on cancer risk is known and in which the effects of those hormones on the cells concerned are also known. The best examples are the relationships between sex hormones and cancer in women. The effects of sex hormones both on the risk for endometrial cancer and on the cells of the endometrium are well understood, and the evidence strongly suggests that hormones act by altering the rate of cell division. The same mechanism may explain the relationships between sex hormones and the risk for breast cancer, but our understanding of cancers at this site is incomplete. Less still is known about the mechanisms of the effects of sex hormones on other hormone-related cancers, such as those of the ovary and cervix. Most sex hormones are not genotoxic.
Related Concept Videos
Mitogens and the Cell Cycle
Target Cell Response to Hormones
Notably, the cellular response can be regulated by altering the number of receptors expressed in the cell. For example, prolonged exposure to elevated hormone levels results in a gradual decline or down-regulation in the number of receptors for that specific hormone on the cell surface. Conversely, in response to low hormone levels, cells may use up-regulation, producing an...
Gonadal and Placental Hormones
In males, testosterone is the primary gonadal androgen. It plays a central role in the maturation of male reproductive organs — the penis and testes. Additionally, testosterone is instrumental in the development of secondary sexual characteristics — a deep voice as well as facial and pubic hair growth — and...
Signs of Puberty
Disorders of the Male Reproductive System
Prostate disorders are another major concern. These conditions can impair urinary flow due to the prostate's location around the urethra. Symptoms...
Major Hormones and Their Functions
Oxytocin, produced in the hypothalamus and released by the pituitary gland, plays a role in social bonding, childbirth, and lactation.

