ESTROGEN METABOLISM IN PATIENTS AT HIGH RISK FOR ENDOMETRIAL CARCINOMA .I. URINARY METABOLITES OF H3-ESTRADIOL IN NORMAL POSTMENOPAUSAL WOMEN AND THOSE WITH ENDOMETRIAL CARCINOMA

Of 51 patients more than 2 years beyond the menopause, 34 had a diagnosis of endometrial carcinoma. Any with liver involvement were not included. 14 were found to have abnormal glucose metabolism. Each patient received an intravenous infusion of 8 mcc of bata-6, 7H-3 dissolved in 10 cc of 10% propylene glycol. 96 hour urine collections were obtained by an indwelling catheter. Values for the recovery of radioactivity associated with estrone, estradio, estriol, and estriol/estrone + estradiol expressed in percent of injected radioactivity are given. A wide range of values was obtained and great variations in ratios. Generally the results were similar to those obtained from studies on menstruating females. There was no significant difference between patients with or without endometrial carcinoma in terms of recovered radioactivity or of the estriol quotient. However, methoxgestrone, epiestriol, and the alpha-ketols which make up a significant portion of theurinary metabolites of estradiol 17 beta were not studied. Restudy of 6 patients with carcinoma produced constant patterns of metabolism. A significantly lower specific activity of estriol as compared to that of estrone was demonstrated in both groups of patients when estradiol 17 beta had been administered. However, this difference was less precursons of urinary estriol. Androstenedione may be one of these. Reasonable radiochemical purity of each final metabolite was verified by recrystallization to constant specific activity following the addition of nouradioactive estrone or estriol.