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Horm Metab Res 2008; 40(3): 206-209
DOI: 10.1055/s-2007-1004540
Humans, Clinical

© Georg Thieme Verlag KG Stuttgart · New York

Comparison of the Proliferative Effects of Ethinylestradiol on Human Breast Cancer Cells in an Intermittent and a Continuous Dosing Regime

G. S. Merki-Feld 1 , H. Seeger 2 , A. O. Mueck 2
  • 1Clinic of Endocrinology, Department of Gynecology and Obstetrics, University Hospital, Zurich, Switzerland
  • 2Centre for Endocrinology and Menopause, University Women's Hospital, Tuebingen, Germany
Further Information

Publication History

received 26.02.2007

accepted 05.06.2007

Publication Date:
16 January 2008 (online)

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Abstract

Many women would prefer fewer bleeding episodes while taking oral contraceptives. For this reason and with the intention of reducing menstruation-associated symptoms, an extended-cycle contraceptive is considered in the present paper. However, it remains unknown whether this long-term treatment is associated with a different breast cancer risk from that of the usual treatment. Therefore, in the present in vitro work we intend to compare the effect of these different treatment regimens on breast cancer risk. MCF-7 cells (human estrogen- and progesterone-receptor-positive metastatic breast cancer cells) and HCC1500 cells (human estrogen- and progesterone-receptor-positive primary breast cancer cells) were incubated with physiological concentrations of ethinylestradiol (EE). Usual and extended cycles were mimicked by incubation periods of 18 hours with EE followed by 6 hours without EE and 24 hours with EE for 3 days, respectively. In both cell lines, EE elicited a significant increase in the proliferation rate. No significant difference was found between the two incubation periods. Our results indicate that continuously administered ethinylestradiol may not increase breast cancer risk in comparison to intermittent application. However, clinical studies are necessary to prove these in vitro results.

Key words

ethinylestradiol - breast cancer cells - proliferation - continuous incubation - intermittent incubation

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Correspondence

Dr. G.S. Merki-Feld

Clinic of Reproductive Endocrinology

Department of Gynecology and Obstetrics

University Hospital

Frauenklinikstr. 10

8091 Zurich

Switzerland

Phone: +41/1/255 50 09

Fax: +41/1/255 43 76

Email: gabriele.merki@usz.ch