[Steroid hormone receptors in benign breast diseases]

Benign breast diseases generally occur in women with progesterone insufficiency and an unopposed estrogen status. This hormonal imbalance is also a main risk factor for breast cancer in the long run. The presence of estradiol and progesterone receptors in benign breast disease are additional proof of their hormone dependence. The level of receptors is higher when the epithelial cellularity is high and also in more recent lesions, and younger women. The level and subcellular location of the receptors also depend on the endogenous secretion of steroids: their level varies throughout the menstrual cycle, and it is maximal at the end of the follicular phase, due to the high estradiol secretion. The cytosol and nuclear level and location of the receptors are also modified by hormonal therapy: estrogen-progestagens given as a contraceptive, or progestins given as a substitutive and antiestrogen therapy. These modifications constitute a biochemical basis for the hormonal progestagen treatment of benign breast diseases.