Oestrogens and clinical characteristics in endometrial carcinoma

Serum concentrations of endogenously produced oestrogens were studied in 128 postmenopausal women with endometrial carcinoma. Radioimmunoassays of serum oestrone (E1) and oestradiol (E2) were performed on admission to hospital. Results showed a wide variation in serum concentrations of E1 and E2 in patients with endometrial carcinoma. Some patients had high E1 values and low E2, while none of the patients had low E1 and high E2 values. Hormonal levels were correlated with increasing BMI (E1; p less than 0.000001; E2; p less than 0.000001). Uterine cavity depth was also related to both E1 and E2 (E1; p less than 0.00001; E2; p less than 0.0003). Concentrations of E1 and E2 were higher in diabetic women than in the non-diabetic. (E1; p less than 0.002; E2; p less than 0.01). E2 concentration was higher in hypertensive patients than in the non-hypertensive patients (p less than 0.04). Parameters such as age, menstrual history, clinical stage and histopathology showed no significant correlation with hormone concentrations.