Hormones and gallbladder cancer in women

Abstract

Epidemiological evidence suggests that the incidence of gallstone disease and gallbladder cancer is higher in women. We analyzed the literature on estrogen and progesterone receptor expression in gallbladder cancer in women. A systematic search was done using Medline, Embase, and Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials for the years 1983-2009. The search terms used included 'gallbladder', 'gallstone', 'oestrogen/estrogen', 'progesterone', 'cancer', 'cholelithiasis', 'hormone,' and 'motility'. Hormone receptor expression in gallbladder cancer was analyzed in 11 studies of which immunohistochemistry was used in 10 and enzyme immunoassay in one study. Sample sizes varied 141. Estrogen and/or progesterone receptor expression was detectable in gallbladder cancer tissue samples in nine studies, whereas four studies failed to confirm these findings. The data on the association of hormone receptor expression to tumor differentiation is contradictory and needs further evaluation.

Gallbladder cancer epidemiology, pathogenesis and molecular genetics: Recent update

“…Although the female gender GBC can be linked with the role of female hormones. However an article published previously has questioned the association of hormone receptor expression to tumor differentiation[12]. So the extent of female hormones contribution in Gallbladder cancer is still not certain and requires more investigation.…”

Female Sex Hormone Receptors in Gallbladder Cancer

“…Most of these contradictory reports are based on limited numbers and diverse quantification techniques of receptor expression, which forms valid grounds for this study which aims to reevaluate the female sex hormone receptor expression in gall bladder cancer and correlate the receptor expression with the clinicopathological profile of the patients [19]. This study assumes relevance with the recent animal study implicating estrogen in gallbladder carcinogenesis [20].…”

“…The results of these studies have produced conflicting evidence not only on the variations in the type and degree of receptor expression but also have questioned the very existence of ER/PR in gallbladder cancer [15,17,19].…”

Expression of procaspase 3 and activated caspase 3 and its relevance in hormone-responsive gallbladder carcinoma chemotherapy

“…The higher incidence of GBC in females has been attributed in part to hormonal factors, including estrogen and progesterone receptor expression and their effects on GBC prognosis [6,7]. Many other reports have also referred to the effects of hormone receptor status in GBC [8-14]. More recently, a significant correlation between hormone receptor polymorphism and gallbladder (GB) carcinogenesis has been reported [15].…”