The urinary dehydroepiandrosterone, androsterone and etiocholanolone excretion of healthy women and women with benign and malignant breast disease.

The 24-h urinary excretion of dehydroepiandrosterone, androsterone and etiocholanolone was followed in healthy women (n = 50) and in women with benign-fibroadenoma (n = 32), microcysts (n = 32), macrocysts (n = 25) and malignant (n = 35) breast disease aged 35-50 years. The data were analysed in three groups each covering 5 years (35-39, 40-44 and 45-49). A significant decrease in the excretion of etiocholanolone and dehydroepiandrosterone was found in women with benign and malignant breast disease when compared to controls. There was no significant decrease in androsterone excretion in women with benign and malignant breast disease when compared to a control group. A high correlation was found between excretion of etiocholanolone and its precursor dehydroepiandrosterone both in women with benign-fibroadenoma (r = 0.7683) or macrocysts (r = 0.7337) and in women with malignant (r = 0.805) breast disease. Dehydroepiandrosterone and, in particular, etiocholanolone excretions were found to decrease significantly with age in women affected by malignant breast disease.