Objective: : To investigate the effect of chemotherapy on levels of IGF-I in patients with breast cancer.
Background: The latest reports on the role of the insulin-like growth factor (IGF)-I in breast cancer pathogenesis emphasize the importance of the effect of therapy on plasma IGF-I concentration and more generally on the hormonal state of the patient.
Method: Twenty-four breast cancer patients on adjuvant chemotherapy with cyclophosphamide, methotrexate and 5-fluorouracil (CMF) were studied along with 16 healthy pre-menopausal women.
Results: Plasma IGF-I concentration (determined by RIA method) in breast cancer patients prior to treatment did not differ significantly from that of healthy women, but it was significantly decreased after the first cycle of CMF, and significantly lowered as compared to a group of healthy women.
Conclusion: Further research into the significance of these findings is necessary. No interaction was found between mean IGF-I and growth hormone, prolactin, estradiol, progesterone, cortisol, met-enkephalin or melatonin concentrations.