Potential applications of salivary steroid immunoassays for investigations of cancer of reproductive tissues.

The potential applications of measuring reproductive steroids in saliva were examined for investigating the basis of the lower prevalence of breast cancer and cancers of the reproductive system among former college athletes compared to non-athletes. Daily salivary progesterone measurements during the menstrual cycle by a rapid cost effective enzyme-immunoassay provided a more accurate method than established procedures for detecting abnormal ovarian function such as luteal phase defects. These abnormalities are common in athletes who have a later menarche, a higher incidence of oligomenorrhoea and amenorrhoea than non-athletes. A control corridor was established of upper and lower limits for normality of daily salivary progesterone values during the complete menstrual cycle in 42 volunteers. It is concluded that salivary steroid assays provide an accurate and non-invasive procedure suitable for long term comparative studies on ovarian steroids in female athletes and non-athletes before and after menarche.