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Wu Z, Petrick JL, Florio AA, Guillemette C, Beane Freeman LE, Buring JE, Bradwin G, Caron P, Chen Y, Eliassen AH, Engel LS, Freedman ND, Gaziano JM, Giovannuci EL, Hofmann JN, Huang WY, Kirsh VA, Kitahara CM, Koshiol J, Lee IM, Liao LM, Newton CC, Palmer JR, Purdue MP, Rohan TE, Rosenberg L, Sesso HD, Sinha R, Stampfer MJ, Um CY, Van Den Eeden SK, Visvanathan K, Wactawski-Wende J, Zeleniuch-Jacquotte A, Zhang X, Graubard BI, Campbell PT, McGlynn KA. Endogenous sex steroid hormones and risk of liver cancer among US men: Results from the Liver Cancer Pooling Project. JHEP Rep 2023; 5:100742. [PMID: 37425211 PMCID: PMC10326694 DOI: 10.1016/j.jhepr.2023.100742] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/31/2022] [Revised: 02/28/2023] [Accepted: 03/03/2023] [Indexed: 07/11/2023] Open
Abstract
Background & Aims Incidence rates of liver cancer in most populations are two to three times higher among men than women. The higher rates among men have led to the suggestion that androgens are related to increased risk whereas oestrogens are related to decreased risk. This hypothesis was investigated in the present study via a nested case-control analysis of pre-diagnostic sex steroid hormone levels among men in five US cohorts. Methods Concentrations of sex steroid hormones and sex hormone-binding globulin were quantitated using gas chromatography-mass spectrometry and a competitive electrochemiluminescence immunoassay, respectively. Multivariable conditional logistic regression was used to calculate odds ratios (ORs) and 95% CIs for associations between hormones and liver cancer among 275 men who subsequently developed liver cancer and 768 comparison men. Results Higher concentrations of total testosterone (OR per one-unit increase in log2 = 1.77, 95% CI = 1.38-2.29), dihydrotestosterone (OR = 1.76, 95% CI = 1.21-2.57), oestrone (OR = 1.74, 95% CI = 1.08-2.79), total oestradiol (OR = 1.58, 95% CI=1.22-20.05), and sex hormone-binding globulin (OR = 1.63, 95% CI = 1.27-2.11) were associated with increased risk. Higher concentrations of dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA), however, were associated with a 53% decreased risk (OR = 0.47, 95% CI = 0.33-0.68). Conclusions Higher concentrations of both androgens (testosterone, dihydrotestosterone) and their aromatised oestrogenic metabolites (oestrone, oestradiol) were observed among men who subsequently developed liver cancer compared with men who did not. As DHEA is an adrenal precursor of both androgens and oestrogens, these results may suggest that a lower capacity to convert DHEA to androgens, and their subsequent conversion to oestrogens, confers a lower risk of liver cancer, whereas a greater capacity to convert DHEA confers a greater risk. Impact and implications This study does not fully support the current hormone hypothesis as both androgen and oestrogen levels were associated with increased risk of liver cancer among men. The study also found that higher DHEA levels were associated with lower risk, thus suggesting the hypothesis that greater capacity to convert DHEA could be associated with increased liver cancer risk among men.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zeni Wu
- Division of Cancer Epidemiology and Genetics, National Cancer Institute, Rockville, MD, USA
| | | | - Andrea A. Florio
- Division of Cancer Epidemiology and Genetics, National Cancer Institute, Rockville, MD, USA
| | - Chantal Guillemette
- Pharmacogenomics Laboratory, Centre Hospitalier Universitaire de Québec-(CHU de Québec) Research Center–Université Laval, Québec, QC, Canada
- Faculty of Pharmacy and Cancer Research Center, Laval University, Québec, QC, Canada
| | - Laura E. Beane Freeman
- Division of Cancer Epidemiology and Genetics, National Cancer Institute, Rockville, MD, USA
| | - Julie E. Buring
- Division of Preventive Medicine, Department of Medicine, Brigham and Women’s Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
- Department of Epidemiology, T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Harvard University, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Gary Bradwin
- Clinical and Epidemiologic Research Laboratory, Department of Laboratory Medicine, Boston Children’s Hospital, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Patrick Caron
- Pharmacogenomics Laboratory, Centre Hospitalier Universitaire de Québec-(CHU de Québec) Research Center–Université Laval, Québec, QC, Canada
| | - Yu Chen
- Department of Population Health, New York University School of Medicine, New York, NY, USA
| | - A. Heather Eliassen
- Department of Epidemiology, T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Harvard University, Boston, MA, USA
- Department of Nutrition, T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Harvard University, Boston, MA, USA
- Channing Division of Network Medicine, Department of Medicine, Brigham and Women's Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Lawrence S. Engel
- Department of Epidemiology, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, NC, USA
| | - Neal D. Freedman
- Division of Cancer Epidemiology and Genetics, National Cancer Institute, Rockville, MD, USA
| | - J. Michael Gaziano
- Division of Preventive Medicine, Department of Medicine, Brigham and Women’s Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Edward L. Giovannuci
- Department of Epidemiology, T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Harvard University, Boston, MA, USA
- Department of Nutrition, T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Harvard University, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Jonathan N. Hofmann
- Division of Cancer Epidemiology and Genetics, National Cancer Institute, Rockville, MD, USA
| | - Wen-Yi Huang
- Division of Cancer Epidemiology and Genetics, National Cancer Institute, Rockville, MD, USA
| | - Victoria A. Kirsh
- Ontario Institute for Cancer Research, Toronto, ON, Canada
- Epidemiology Division, Dalla Lana School of Public Health, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Cari M. Kitahara
- Division of Cancer Epidemiology and Genetics, National Cancer Institute, Rockville, MD, USA
| | - Jill Koshiol
- Division of Cancer Epidemiology and Genetics, National Cancer Institute, Rockville, MD, USA
| | - I-Min Lee
- Division of Preventive Medicine, Department of Medicine, Brigham and Women’s Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
- Department of Epidemiology, T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Harvard University, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Linda M. Liao
- Division of Cancer Epidemiology and Genetics, National Cancer Institute, Rockville, MD, USA
| | | | - Julie R. Palmer
- Slone Epidemiology Center, Boston University, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Mark P. Purdue
- Division of Cancer Epidemiology and Genetics, National Cancer Institute, Rockville, MD, USA
| | - Thomas E. Rohan
- Department of Epidemiology and Population Health, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, New York, NY, USA
| | - Lynn Rosenberg
- Slone Epidemiology Center, Boston University, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Howard D. Sesso
- Division of Preventive Medicine, Department of Medicine, Brigham and Women’s Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
- Department of Epidemiology, T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Harvard University, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Rashmi Sinha
- Division of Cancer Epidemiology and Genetics, National Cancer Institute, Rockville, MD, USA
| | - Meir J. Stampfer
- Department of Epidemiology, T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Harvard University, Boston, MA, USA
- Department of Nutrition, T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Harvard University, Boston, MA, USA
- Channing Division of Network Medicine, Department of Medicine, Brigham and Women's Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Caroline Y. Um
- Department of Population Science, American Cancer Society, Atlanta, GA, USA
| | | | - Kala Visvanathan
- Bloomberg School of Public Health, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Jean Wactawski-Wende
- Department of Epidemiology and Environmental Health, University at Buffalo, Buffalo, NY, USA
| | | | - Xuehong Zhang
- Department of Nutrition, T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Harvard University, Boston, MA, USA
- Channing Division of Network Medicine, Department of Medicine, Brigham and Women's Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Barry I. Graubard
- Division of Cancer Epidemiology and Genetics, National Cancer Institute, Rockville, MD, USA
| | | | - Katherine A. McGlynn
- Division of Cancer Epidemiology and Genetics, National Cancer Institute, Rockville, MD, USA
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Petrick JL, Florio AA, Zhang X, Zeleniuch-Jacquotte A, Wactawski-Wende J, Van Den Eeden SK, Stanczyk FZ, Simon TG, Sinha R, Sesso HD, Schairer C, Rosenberg L, Rohan TE, Purdue MP, Palmer JR, Linet MS, Liao LM, Lee IM, Koshiol J, Kitahara CM, Kirsh VA, Hofmann JN, Guillemette C, Graubard BI, Giovannucci E, Gaziano JM, Gapster SM, Freedman ND, Engel LS, Chong DQ, Chen Y, Chan AT, Caron P, Buring JE, Bradwin G, Beane Freeman LE, Campbell PT, McGlynn KA. Associations Between Prediagnostic Concentrations of Circulating Sex Steroid Hormones and Liver Cancer Among Postmenopausal Women. Hepatology 2020; 72:535-547. [PMID: 31808181 PMCID: PMC7391790 DOI: 10.1002/hep.31057] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/25/2019] [Accepted: 11/25/2019] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND AND AIMS In almost all countries, incidence rates of liver cancer (LC) are 100%-200% higher in males than in females. However, this difference is predominantly driven by hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), which accounts for 75% of LC cases. Intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma (ICC) accounts for 12% of cases and has rates only 30% higher in males. Hormones are hypothesized to underlie observed sex differences. We investigated whether prediagnostic circulating hormone and sex hormone binding globulin (SHBG) levels were associated with LC risk, overall and by histology, by leveraging resources from five prospective cohorts. APPROACH AND RESULTS Seven sex steroid hormones and SHBG were quantitated using gas chromatography/tandem mass spectrometry and competitive electrochemiluminescence immunoassay, respectively, from baseline serum/plasma samples of 191 postmenopausal female LC cases (HCC, n = 83; ICC, n = 56) and 426 controls, matched on sex, cohort, age, race/ethnicity, and blood collection date. Odds ratios (ORs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) for associations between a one-unit increase in log2 hormone value (approximate doubling of circulating concentration) and LC were calculated using multivariable-adjusted conditional logistic regression. A doubling in the concentration of 4-androstenedione (4-dione) was associated with a 50% decreased LC risk (OR = 0.50; 95% CI = 0.30-0.82), whereas SHBG was associated with a 31% increased risk (OR = 1.31; 95% CI = 1.05-1.63). Examining histology, a doubling of estradiol was associated with a 40% increased risk of ICC (OR = 1.40; 95% CI = 1.05-1.89), but not HCC (OR = 1.12; 95% CI = 0.81-1.54). CONCLUSIONS This study provides evidence that higher levels of 4-dione may be associated with lower, and SHBG with higher, LC risk in women. However, this study does not support the hypothesis that higher estrogen levels decrease LC risk. Indeed, estradiol may be associated with an increased ICC risk.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jessica L. Petrick
- Division of Cancer Epidemiology and Genetics, National Cancer Institute, Bethesda, MD,,Slone Epidemiology Center, Boston University, Boston, MA
| | - Andrea A. Florio
- Division of Cancer Epidemiology and Genetics, National Cancer Institute, Bethesda, MD
| | - Xuehong Zhang
- Channing Division of Network Medicine, Brigham and Women’s Hospital, Boston, MA
| | - Anne Zeleniuch-Jacquotte
- Department of Population Health, New York University School of Medicine, New York, NY,,NYU Perlmutter Cancer Center, New York University School of Medicine, New York, NY
| | - Jean Wactawski-Wende
- Department of Epidemiology and Environmental Health, University at Buffalo, Buffalo, NY
| | | | - Frank Z. Stanczyk
- Departments of Obstetrics and Gynecology and Preventive Medicine, University of Southern California Keck School of Medicine, Los Angeles, CA
| | - Tracey G. Simon
- Division of Gastroenterology, Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA
| | - Rashmi Sinha
- Division of Cancer Epidemiology and Genetics, National Cancer Institute, Bethesda, MD
| | - Howard D. Sesso
- Department of Epidemiology, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, MA,,Division of Preventive Medicine, Department of Medicine, Brigham and Women’s Hospital, Boston, MA
| | - Catherine Schairer
- Division of Cancer Epidemiology and Genetics, National Cancer Institute, Bethesda, MD
| | - Lynn Rosenberg
- Slone Epidemiology Center, Boston University, Boston, MA
| | - Thomas E. Rohan
- Department of Epidemiology & Population Health, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, NY
| | - Mark P. Purdue
- Division of Cancer Epidemiology and Genetics, National Cancer Institute, Bethesda, MD
| | | | - Martha S. Linet
- Division of Cancer Epidemiology and Genetics, National Cancer Institute, Bethesda, MD
| | - Linda M. Liao
- Division of Cancer Epidemiology and Genetics, National Cancer Institute, Bethesda, MD
| | - I-Min Lee
- Department of Epidemiology, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, MA,,Division of Preventive Medicine, Department of Medicine, Brigham and Women’s Hospital, Boston, MA
| | - Jill Koshiol
- Division of Cancer Epidemiology and Genetics, National Cancer Institute, Bethesda, MD
| | - Cari M. Kitahara
- Division of Cancer Epidemiology and Genetics, National Cancer Institute, Bethesda, MD
| | - Victoria A. Kirsh
- Epidemiology Division, Dalla Lana School of Public Health, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Jonathan N. Hofmann
- Division of Cancer Epidemiology and Genetics, National Cancer Institute, Bethesda, MD
| | - Chantal Guillemette
- Pharmacogenomics Laboratory, Centre Hospitalier Universitaire de Québec - (CHU de Québec) Research Center - Université Laval and Faculty of Pharmacy, Laval University, Québec, Canada
| | - Barry I. Graubard
- Division of Cancer Epidemiology and Genetics, National Cancer Institute, Bethesda, MD
| | - Edward Giovannucci
- Division of Gastroenterology, Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA
| | - J. Michael Gaziano
- Division of Preventive Medicine, Department of Medicine, Brigham and Women’s Hospital, Boston, MA,,VA Boston Healthcare System, Boston, MA
| | - Susan M. Gapster
- Epidemiology Research Program, American Cancer Society, Atlanta, GA
| | - Neal D. Freedman
- Division of Cancer Epidemiology and Genetics, National Cancer Institute, Bethesda, MD
| | - Lawrence S. Engel
- Department of Epidemiology, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, NC
| | - Dawn Q. Chong
- Division of Medical Oncology, National Cancer Centre Singapore, Singapore
| | - Yu Chen
- Department of Population Health, New York University School of Medicine, New York, NY,,Department of Environmental Medicine, New York University School of Medicine, New York, NY
| | - Andrew T. Chan
- Channing Division of Network Medicine, Brigham and Women’s Hospital, Boston, MA,,Division of Gastroenterology, Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA,,Clinical and Translational Epidemiology Unit, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA
| | - Patrick Caron
- Pharmacogenomics Laboratory, Centre Hospitalier Universitaire de Québec - (CHU de Québec) Research Center - Université Laval and Faculty of Pharmacy, Laval University, Québec, Canada
| | - Julie E. Buring
- Department of Epidemiology, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, MA,,Division of Preventive Medicine, Department of Medicine, Brigham and Women’s Hospital, Boston, MA
| | - Gary Bradwin
- Clinical and Epidemiologic Research Laboratory, Department of Laboratory Medicine, Boston Children’s Hospital, Boston, MA
| | | | | | - Katherine A. McGlynn
- Division of Cancer Epidemiology and Genetics, National Cancer Institute, Bethesda, MD
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Moctezuma-Velázquez C, Low G, Mourtzakis M, Ma M, Burak KW, Tandon P, Montano-Loza AJ. Association between Low Testosterone Levels and Sarcopenia in Cirrhosis: A Cross-sectional Study. Ann Hepatol 2018; 17:615-623. [PMID: 29893704 DOI: 10.5604/01.3001.0012.0930] [Citation(s) in RCA: 32] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/04/2023]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION AND AIM Sarcopenia is an independent predictor of mortality in cirrhosis. Hypogonadism is common in cirrhosis and has been associated with sarcopenia in non-cirrhotic chronic liver disease populations. The aim of this study is to investigate if sarcopenia is associated with low testosterone levels in patients with cirrhosis. MATERIAL AND METHODS This is a retrospective analysis of prospectively collected data of 211 cirrhotic patients undergoing evaluation for liver transplantation. Sarcopenia was defined by computed tomography (CT) scan using specific cutoffs of the 3rd lumbar vertebra skeletal muscle index (L3 SMI). Morning testosterone levels were obtained in all patients. RESULTS Of the 211 patients, sarcopenia was noted in 94 (45%). Testosterone levels were lower in sarcopenic patients (10.7 ± 1.1 vs. 13.7 ± 1.4 nmol/L, p = 0.03) and hypotestosteronemia was more frequent in them too (34 vs. 16%, p = 0.004). In males, those with sarcopenia had lower testosterone levels (14.6 ± 1.4 vs. 21.9 ± 1.8, p = 0.002), and the corresponding frequency of hypotestosteronemia (42 vs. 19%, p = 0.006) was also higher. There were no significant differences in female patients. There was a weak correlation between L3 SMI and testosterone levels (r 0.37, p < 0.001). On multivariable regression analysis including sex, body mass index (BMI), hypotestosteronemia, MELD and etiology of cirrhosis, only hypotestosteronemia (RR 2.76, p = 0.005) and BMI (RR 0.88, p < 0.001) were independently associated with sarcopenia. CONCLUSION Low testosterone levels are associated with sarcopenia in male cirrhotic patients. The potential therapeutic effect of testosterone to reverse sarcopenia in these patients warrants evaluation in future trials.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Gavin Low
- Department of Radiology, University of Alberta Hospital, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada
| | - Marina Mourtzakis
- Department of Rehabilitation Medicine, University of Waterloo, Ontario, Canada
| | - Mang Ma
- Liver Unit, University of Alberta Hospital, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada
| | | | - Puneeta Tandon
- Liver Unit, University of Alberta Hospital, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada
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El Mahdy Korah T, Abd Elfatah Badr E, Mohamed Emara M, Ahmed Samy Kohla M, Gamal Saad Michael G. Relation between sex hormones and hepatocellular carcinoma. Andrologia 2016; 48:948-955. [PMID: 26791111 DOI: 10.1111/and.12536] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 11/20/2015] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Males have higher incidence of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) than females. Sex hormones may be a risk factor. The aim was to determine the levels of sex hormones in male and female patients with HCC and cirrhosis versus controls and its possible relationship with HCC. This study was conducted on 90 subjects divided into 40 patients with HCC, 30 patients with liver cirrhosis and 20 apparently healthy subjects complete blood picture, liver function tests. Determination of AFP levels and hormonal assay of oestrogen, progesterone, total testosterone, prolactin, FSH and LH were performed on all subjects. Total testosterone levels were significantly decreased in the two patients groups compared with controls. While oestrogen levels were significantly decreased in the HCC group in comparison with other two groups, prolactin levels were significantly decreased in the HCC group compared with the liver cirrhosis group and increased in the liver cirrhosis group when compared to controls. FSH and LH levels were significantly increased in the HCC group when compared to controls. There is no significant correlation between sex hormones assay and both the size of HCC and degree of cirrhosis in both patient groups. It is concluded that there is no strong relation between sex hormones and HCC when the study was carried out on the levels of sex hormones in patients with HCC.
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Affiliation(s)
- T El Mahdy Korah
- Internal Medicine Department, Faculty of Medicine, Menoufia University, Shebin ElKom, Egypt
| | - E Abd Elfatah Badr
- Medical Biochemistry Department, Faculty of Medicine, Menoufia University, Shebin ElKom, Egypt.
| | - M Mohamed Emara
- Internal Medicine Department, Faculty of Medicine, Menoufia University, Shebin ElKom, Egypt
| | | | - G Gamal Saad Michael
- Internal Medicine Department, Faculty of Medicine, Menoufia University, Shebin ElKom, Egypt
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Lukanova A, Becker S, Hüsing A, Schock H, Fedirko V, Trepo E, Trichopoulou A, Bamia C, Lagiou P, Benetou V, Trichopoulos D, Nöthlings U, Tjønneland A, Overvad K, Dossus L, Teucher B, Boeing H, Aleksandrova K, Palli D, Pala V, Panico S, Tumino R, Ricceri F, Bueno-de-Mesquita HB, Siersema PD, Peeters PHM, Quiros JR, Duell EJ, Molina-Montes E, Chirlaque MD, Gurrea AB, Dorronsoro M, Lindkvist B, Johansen D, Werner M, Sund M, Khaw KT, Wareham N, Key TJ, Travis RC, Rinaldi S, Romieu I, Gunter MJ, Riboli E, Jenab M, Kaaks R. Prediagnostic plasma testosterone, sex hormone-binding globulin, IGF-I and hepatocellular carcinoma: etiological factors or risk markers? Int J Cancer 2014; 134:164-73. [PMID: 23801371 DOI: 10.1002/ijc.28342] [Citation(s) in RCA: 29] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/11/2013] [Revised: 05/05/2013] [Accepted: 05/17/2013] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
Elevated prediagnostic testosterone and insulin-like growth factor I (IGF-I) concentrations have been proposed to increase risk of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). However, the metabolism of these hormones is altered as a consequence of liver damage and they may have clinical utility as HCC risk markers. A case-control study was nested within the European Prospective Investigation into Cancer and Nutrition cohort and included 125 incident HCC cases and 247 individually matched controls. Testosterone, sex hormone-binding globulin (SHBG) and IGF-I were analyzed by immunoassays. Odds ratios (ORs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were estimated by conditional logistic regression. The area under the receiver operating curves (AUC) was calculated to assess HCC predictive ability of the tested models. After adjustments for epidemiological variables (body mass index, smoking, ethanol intake, hepatitis and diabetes) and liver damage (a score based on albumin, bilirubin, aspartate aminotransaminase, alanine aminotransaminase, gamma-glutamyltransferase and alkaline phosphatase concentrations), only SHBG remained significantly associated with risk [OR for top versus bottom tertile of 3.86 (1.32-11.3), p(trend) = 0.009]. As a single factor SHBG had an AUC of 0.81 (0.75-0.86). A small, but significant increase in AUC was observed when SHBG was added to a model including the liver damage score and epidemiological variables (from 0.89 to 0.91, p = 0.02) and a net reclassification of 0.47% (0.45-0.48). The observed associations of HCC with prediagnostic SHBG, free testosterone and IGF-I concentrations are in directions opposite to that expected under the etiological hypotheses. SHBG has a potential to be tested as prediagnostic risk marker for HCC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Annekatrin Lukanova
- Division of Cancer Epidemiology, German Cancer Research Centre, Heidelberg, Germany; Department of Medical Biosciences, Pathology, University of Umeå, Umeå, Sweden
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Mao WL, Shi XP, Lou YF, Ye B, Lu YQ. The association between circulating oestradiol levels and severity of liver disease in males with hepatitis B virus infection. Liver Int 2013; 33:1211-7. [PMID: 23551989 DOI: 10.1111/liv.12160] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/30/2012] [Accepted: 03/06/2013] [Indexed: 12/17/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Males have a strikingly increased risk of advanced liver disease. This study was designed to investigate the association between sex hormone levels and different disease states in hepatitis B virus (HBV)-infected male patients. METHODS Two hundred and fifty-two male patients, including 30 with acute hepatitis B (AHB), 127 with chronic hepatitis B (CHB) and 95 with chronic severe hepatitis B (CSHB), and 48 healthy controls (HCs) were enroled in this study. All patients were followed for 4 months. The primary end point was in-hospital mortality at the end of 90 days. At study entry, a blood sample was collected from all subjects to examine liver function, renal function and sex hormone levels (serum total testosterone and oestradiol). A total of nine clinical chemistry and biochemical variables were analyzed for possible association with outcomes by using Cox proportional hazards and multiple regression models. RESULTS We demonstrated that in CSHB and CHB patients, oestradiol levels were significantly increased compared with HCs and AHB patients, whereas no significant differences were observed in AHB patients and HCs. All male patients had normal levels of testosterone which were not significantly different compared with those of HCs. Increased oestradiol levels were clinically associated with severe liver disease, and increased 3-month mortality rate. Multivariate analysis demonstrated that oestradiol and the model for end-stage liver disease (MELD) score were independent predictors for mortality (both P < 0.001). CONCLUSION Oestradiol levels are significantly increased in male patients with hepatitis B, and were associated with the severity of liver disease. Moreover, elevation of oestradiol is an independent predictive factor for the 3-month mortality rate in male patients with hepatitis B.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wei L Mao
- Department of Clinical Laboratory, The First Affiliated Hospital, College of Medicine, Zhejiang University, Zhejiang, China
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Zietz B, Lock G, Plach B, Drobnik W, Grossmann J, Schölmerich J, Straub RH. Dysfunction of the hypothalamic-pituitary-glandular axes and relation to Child-Pugh classification in male patients with alcoholic and virus-related cirrhosis. Eur J Gastroenterol Hepatol 2003; 15:495-501. [PMID: 12702906 DOI: 10.1097/01.meg.0000059115.41030.e0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 29] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/10/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE To investigate anterior pituitary function (adrenal, somatotropic, thyroid and gonadal axes, and prolactin) in relation to the Child-Pugh score in male patients with alcoholic and virus-related liver cirrhosis. METHOD Anterior pituitary function was evaluated in 52 male cirrhotics (26 Child-Pugh class A (CPA), 16 Child-Pugh class B (CPB) and 10 Child-Pugh class C (CPC)) by a combined pituitary stimulation test, and was compared with 50 age-matched controls. RESULTS A normal cortisol response to corticotropin-releasing hormone (CRH) stimulation was demonstrated in 57.6% of CPA patients, 31.1% of CPB patients and 20% of CPC patients, while basal levels of adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH) and cortisol in cirrhotics were comparable to those in controls. Levels of basal growth hormone (P < 0.001) and stimulated growth hormone (P < 0.01) were significantly higher in cirrhotics compared with controls, while levels of insulin-like growth factor 1 (IGF-1) were significantly lower (P < 0.001). Basal prolactin levels were elevated significantly in CPC patients (P < 0.01), while stimulated prolactin as well as basal and stimulated thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH) levels were comparable. Basal luteinizing hormone levels were significantly higher in CPA (P < 0.001) and CPB (P < 0.001) patients, and stimulated luteinizing hormone levels were significantly lower in CPC patients than in controls (P < 0.005). Basal and stimulated follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH) levels were comparable in all groups. Child-Pugh score was correlated positively to prolactin and was correlated negatively to IGF-1, stimulated luteinizing hormone and free testosterone. CONCLUSIONS In cirrhotics, the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal and -gonadal axes and prolactin secretion are impaired. Growth hormone response to growth hormone-releasing hormone (GHRH) is accelerated in cirrhotics. Thus, elevated basal and stimulated levels of growth hormone probably reflect compensation for low levels of IGF-1, which are associated with deteriorating liver function. The aetiology of cirrhosis was found to have no influence on the degree of alteration of the hypothalamic-pituitary-glandular axes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bettina Zietz
- Department of Internal Medicine I, University of Regensburg, Germany.
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Dysfunction of the hypothalamic-pituitary-glandular axes and relation to Child-Pugh classification in male patients with alcoholic and virus-related cirrhosis. Eur J Gastroenterol Hepatol 2003. [PMID: 12702906 DOI: 10.1097/00042737-200305000-00007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE To investigate anterior pituitary function (adrenal, somatotropic, thyroid and gonadal axes, and prolactin) in relation to the Child-Pugh score in male patients with alcoholic and virus-related liver cirrhosis. METHOD Anterior pituitary function was evaluated in 52 male cirrhotics (26 Child-Pugh class A (CPA), 16 Child-Pugh class B (CPB) and 10 Child-Pugh class C (CPC)) by a combined pituitary stimulation test, and was compared with 50 age-matched controls. RESULTS A normal cortisol response to corticotropin-releasing hormone (CRH) stimulation was demonstrated in 57.6% of CPA patients, 31.1% of CPB patients and 20% of CPC patients, while basal levels of adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH) and cortisol in cirrhotics were comparable to those in controls. Levels of basal growth hormone (P < 0.001) and stimulated growth hormone (P < 0.01) were significantly higher in cirrhotics compared with controls, while levels of insulin-like growth factor 1 (IGF-1) were significantly lower (P < 0.001). Basal prolactin levels were elevated significantly in CPC patients (P < 0.01), while stimulated prolactin as well as basal and stimulated thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH) levels were comparable. Basal luteinizing hormone levels were significantly higher in CPA (P < 0.001) and CPB (P < 0.001) patients, and stimulated luteinizing hormone levels were significantly lower in CPC patients than in controls (P < 0.005). Basal and stimulated follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH) levels were comparable in all groups. Child-Pugh score was correlated positively to prolactin and was correlated negatively to IGF-1, stimulated luteinizing hormone and free testosterone. CONCLUSIONS In cirrhotics, the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal and -gonadal axes and prolactin secretion are impaired. Growth hormone response to growth hormone-releasing hormone (GHRH) is accelerated in cirrhotics. Thus, elevated basal and stimulated levels of growth hormone probably reflect compensation for low levels of IGF-1, which are associated with deteriorating liver function. The aetiology of cirrhosis was found to have no influence on the degree of alteration of the hypothalamic-pituitary-glandular axes.
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Villa E, Grottola A, Colantoni A, De Maria N, Buttafoco P, Ferretti I, Manenti F. Hepatocellular carcinoma: role of estrogen receptors in the liver. Ann N Y Acad Sci 2002. [PMID: 12095926 DOI: 10.1111/j.1749-6632.2002.tb04092.x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/31/2022]
Abstract
Experimental and clinical evidence indicates that estrogens have a relevant role in the pathogenesis of cancer of hormone-sensitive organs. Estrogen receptors (ERs) are present in liver cells. Normal liver expresses almost exclusively wild-type ERs derived from the full-length transcript of the gene. During progression of liver disease to hepatocellular carcinoma, variant forms of ERs have been demonstrated that greatly influence the course of the disease and the possibility of palliative treatment. Peritumoral cirrhotic tissue of patients with hepatocellular carcinoma, especially males, expresses a variant form of ER (vER) with an exon 5 deletion. In hepatocellular carcinoma, vER largely predominates and sometimes becomes the only form expressed. That the occurrence of vER alone is limited almost exclusively to males suggests that it could be one of the molecular events that eventually lead to the preferential development of hepatocellular carcinoma in males. In addition, the presence of vER appears most frequently in patients infected with the hepatitis B virus. The growth rate of hepatocellular carcinoma in patients with vER is also significantly higher than that in patients with tumors expressing wtER.
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Affiliation(s)
- Erica Villa
- Department of Internal Medicine, Division of Gastroenterology, University of Modena and Reggio Emilia, 41100 Modena, Italy.
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Park TJ, Song KY, Sohn SH, Lim IK. Marked inhibition of testosterone biosynthesis by the hepatotoxin nodularin due to apoptosis of Leydig cells. Mol Carcinog 2002; 34:151-63. [PMID: 12112309 DOI: 10.1002/mc.10059] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/06/2022]
Abstract
We previously observed that the serum testosterone level was greatly reduced in the course of diethylnitrosamine-nodularin-induced hepatocarcinogenesis in Fischer 344 male rats (Lim et al., Gastroenterological Carcinogenesis, 1999). As an extension of this observation, this study was undertaken to investigate the molecular mechanism of downregulation of testosterone and its effect on target organs in Fischer 344 male rats treated with the hepatotoxin nodularin. After treating the rats with nodularin, a marked reduction of the testosterone level was noted in both serum and testis, with an accompanying accumulation of cholesterol in serum. Reduction of serum testosterone was not due to increased degradation of testosterone in the liver but to impaired biosynthesis in the testes, reduced activities of the cholesterol side chain cleavage enzyme and 17alpha-hydroxylase, and decreased expression of the steroidogenic acute regulatory protein gene, all of which constitute rate-limiting steps for testosterone biosynthesis in the testes. Intraperitoneal injection of nodularin into rats induced cuboidal changes of glandular epithelium in ventral prostates and apoptotic changes of spermatogonium, for example, nuclear chromatin condensation, shrinkage, and detachment from Sertoli cells, which included many lysosomal granules. Leydig cells also showed evidence of chromatin condensation and significant induction of peroxisome proliferation. In conclusion, the potential causes of impaired testosterone biosynthesis might have been apoptosis of Leydig cells induced by direct toxicity of the hepatotoxin on testes or hypothalamopituitary dysfunction.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tae Jun Park
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Ajou University School of Medicine, Suwon, Korea
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Yu MW, Yang YC, Yang SY, Cheng SW, Liaw YF, Lin SM, Chen CJ. Hormonal markers and hepatitis B virus-related hepatocellular carcinoma risk: a nested case-control study among men. J Natl Cancer Inst 2001; 93:1644-51. [PMID: 11698569 DOI: 10.1093/jnci/93.21.1644] [Citation(s) in RCA: 116] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND The incidence of hepatitis B virus (HBV)-related hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is higher in men than in women. We examined whether endogenous sex hormone levels or hormone-related factors might affect the risk of HCC in men. METHODS Baseline blood samples were collected from 4841 male Taiwanese HBV carriers without diagnosed HCC from 1988 through 1992. Plasma testosterone and estradiol levels and genetic polymorphisms in the hormone-related factors cytochrome P450c17 alpha (CYP17, A1 versus A2 alleles), steroid 5 alpha-reductase type II (SRD5A2, valine [V] versus leucine [L] alleles), and androgen receptor (AR, number of CAG repeats) were assayed among 119 case patients who were diagnosed with HCC during 12 years of follow-up and 238 control subjects. All statistical tests were two-sided. RESULTS The risk of HCC increased with increasing concentrations of testosterone (odds ratio [OR](highest versus lowest tertile) = 2.97; 95% confidence interval [CI] = 1.54 to 5.70; P(trend) <.001) and with increasing number of the V allele of the SRD5A2 V89L polymorphism (OR(VV versus LL genotype) = 2.47; 95% CI = 1.21 to 5.03; P(trend) =.011). Fewer AR gene CAG repeats (<23 repeats) were associated with a 1.64-fold (95% CI = 1.00 to 2.68) increased risk of HCC. Although the CYP17 genotype alone did not increase the risk of HCC, there was evidence of a gene-gene interaction, because the CYP17 A1 allele statistically significantly increased the risk of HCC in the presence of fewer AR gene CAG repeats (OR = 2.51; 95% CI = 1.06 to 5.94). We found a similar interaction between the SRD5A2 VV genotype and fewer AR gene CAG repeats (OR = 5.58; 95% CI = 1.86 to 16.71). Body mass index (BMI) modified the association of HCC with testosterone and SRD5A2 genotype; in men with low BMI, multivariate-adjusted ORs for the highest tertile of testosterone versus the lowest and the SRD5A2 VV genotype versus the LL genotype were 7.63 (95% CI = 2.13 to 27.27) and 8.64 (95% CI = 2.75 to 27.14), respectively. No clear associations were found between estradiol or testosterone-to-estradiol ratio and HCC. CONCLUSIONS Pathways involving androgen signaling may affect the risk of HBV-related HCC among men.
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Affiliation(s)
- M W Yu
- Graduate Institute of Epidemiology, College of Public Health, National Taiwan University, Taipei
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12
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Toyoda H, Kumada T, Honda T, Hayashi K, Katano Y, Nakano I, Hayakawa T, Fukuda Y. Analysis of hepatocellular carcinoma tumor growth detected in sustained responders to interferon in patients with chronic hepatitis C. J Gastroenterol Hepatol 2001; 16:1131-7. [PMID: 11686840 DOI: 10.1046/j.1440-1746.2001.02595.x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/09/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND By analyzing a tumor growth of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) detected in sustained responders (SR) to interferon (IFN) therapy for chronic hepatitis C, we sought to determine the duration of follow up in SR that would be sufficient to detect HCC. In addition, we sought to elucidate the presence of HCC, which truly developed after the eradication of hepatitis C virus (de novo HCC development). METHODS Tumor volume doubling time (DT) was calculated in a total of 46 cases of HCC detected in SR after IFN therapy. Based on DT, the annual growth rate was estimated for each tumor. Survival was compared between patients with HCC < or = 30 mm and patients with HCC > 30 mm in diameter. RESULTS Doubling time in SR was similar to the previously reported DT of HCC irrespective of IFN therapy. However, extensive DT was observed in three HCCs despite relatively poor differentiation, which may represent de novo HCC development. In the analysis of tumor growth, all HCCs grew to exceed 20 mm in estimated diameter between 6 months and 7 years after the end of IFN therapy. Better survival was observed in patients with HCC < or = 30 mm in diameter compared with patients with HCC > 30 mm (P = 0.0107). In surviving patients, recurrences of HCC were very infrequent. CONCLUSIONS We may be able to detect most HCC in SR between 6 months and 7 years after IFN therapy. However, we cannot neglect the presence of de novo HCC development after the eradication of HCV, which makes it difficult to determine completely sufficient follow-up duration after IFN therapy in this population.
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Affiliation(s)
- H Toyoda
- Second Department of Internal Medicine, Nagoya University School of Medicine, Nagoya, Japan
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Toyoda H, Kumada T, Tokuda A, Horiguchi Y, Nakano H, Honda T, Nakano S, Hayashi K, Katano Y, Nakano I, Hayakawa T, Nishimura D, Kato K, Imada K, Imoto M, Fukuda Y. Long-term follow-up of sustained responders to interferon therapy, in patients with chronic hepatitis C. J Viral Hepat 2000; 7:414-9. [PMID: 11115052 DOI: 10.1046/j.1365-2893.2000.00241.x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 41] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/29/2023]
Abstract
Interferon (IFN) therapy has been proven to induce the normalization of serum alanine aminotransferase (ALT) levels and to eradicate the hepatitis C virus (HCV) in some patients with chronic hepatitis C, and these patients are usually defined as 'sustained responders'. However, there have been some reports of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) in these patients, and the development of HCC remains life-threatening in patients who clear HCV. We analysed the long-term prognoses of patients with chronic hepatitis C in whom HCV was eradicated with IFN. We investigated 392 sustained responders to IFN therapy, from 1,277 patients with chronic HCV infection who received IFN treatment at one of our institutions between April 1989 and March 1999. We analysed the medical records and looked for the development of HCC. About 30% of the sustained responders had been lost to follow-up 3 years after the end of IFN therapy, and the follow-up rate of sustained responders was significantly lower than that of non-sustained responders (P < 0.0001). HCC were found in eight patients: in seven patients HCC developed within 5 years after completion of IFN therapy; but in one patient, a single HCC less than 3 cm in diameter was detected between 7 and 8 years after completion of IFN. Of the five patients who had regular medical follow-up, the HCC was solitary, and the patients survived without any evidence of recurrence. Of the three patients who had not been followed-up, two died from HCC and HCC recurred in the third. These results suggest that HCC can develop in sustained responders and that sustained responders should be followed-up closely after completion of IFN so that HCC may be detected at an early stage. The optimal duration of the follow-up period of the sustained responders remains unclear. Additional prospective studies are required in order to establish an appropriate follow-up protocol for sustained responders to IFN.
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Affiliation(s)
- H Toyoda
- Department of Gastroenterology, Fujita Health University School of Medicine, Toyoake, Japan.
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Vaysse J, Beaugrand M, Pontet M. Measurements of Total and Desialylated Sex Hormone-binding Globulin in Serum by ELISA. Clin Chem 1998. [DOI: 10.1093/clinchem/44.4.882] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/14/2022]
Affiliation(s)
| | - Michel Beaugrand
- Service d’Hépato-Gastroentérologie, Hôpital Jean Verdier, Avenue du 14 juillet, 93143 Bondy, France
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