Levels of eighteen non-conjugated and conjugated steroids in human breast cyst fluid: relationships with cyst type.

The present study investigates the levels of a large series of 18 non-conjugated or conjugated steroids in 71 samples of human breast cyst fluid (BCF) as divided into three groups corresponding to different electrolyte composition. In the type 1 group, the K+/Na+ ratio was higher than 1.5, while in type 2 it was lower than 0.66 and finally type 3 had an intermediate ratio. Pregnenolone (PREG) and progesterone (PROG) levels were approximately 2-fold higher (P less than 0.05) in the type 2 than in the type 1 group while both 17-OH-pregnenolone (17-OH-PREG) and 17-OH-progesterone (17-OH-PROG) concentrations were similar in these two groups. Most of the C-19 steroids analyzed, namely dehydroepiandrosterone sulfate (DHEAS), androst-5-ene-3 beta, 17 beta-diol (5-ene-DIOL), testosterone (TESTO), dihydrotestosterone (DHT), androstane-3 alpha, 17 beta-diol (3 alpha-DIOL), androsterone (ADT), androstane-3 alpha, 17 beta-diol glucuronide (3 alpha-DIOL-G) and androsterone glucuronide (ADT-G) were 180-360% (P less than 0.05) higher in type 1 than in type 2 cysts while no difference in C-18 steroid and C-18 steroid glucuronide levels was observed. A small or no difference was seen in steroid levels between types 2 and 3. We conclude that the arbitrary division according to the electrolyte composition of BCF permits identification of different patterns of steroid concentrations in BCF. However, the mechanism responsible for both sets of parameters remain unclear.