PROGESTERONE AND ESTRADIOL CONCENTRATION IN HUMAN-KIDNEY AND RENAL-CELL CARCINOMA

Renal carcinoma and renal tissue, five each, were analyzed for their concentration of progesterone (P) and estradiol-17-β (E2). Concentrations of these steroids were also measured in blood samples from each of the five patients. The mean plasma P and E2 concentrations were 0.5 ng/ml and 44.8 pg/ml. The tissue concentrations of P were 8.2 ng/g and 5.9 ng/g for normal kidney and carcinoma tissue respectively. The difference between the two values was significant (P < 0.025). The difference between the Ei concentrations in carcinoma (238 pg/g) and normal tissue (306 pg/g) was not significant. Although the biological significance of the relatively high concentrations of these steroids in renal tissue is not yet clear, the present data are consistent with recent findings of the presence of E2 and P receptors in renal carcinoma and in normal kidney. © 1979.