Serum Sex Hormone Profiles in Potentially Resectable Esophageal Cancer

Abstract

Esophageal cancer (EC) affects men far more commonly than women. Numerous epidemiological studies have suggested that the hormonal milieu may play a role in this gender bias. However, there is little known about circulating sex hormone levels in relation to the risk of EC development. In this chapter, the correlation between circulating sex hormone levels and mRNA expression of estrogen receptors (ER) in normal esophageal mucosal samples and EC biopsies from patients with potentially resectable EC is studied. Moreover, the association of serum sex hormones levels with and clinico-pathological features of EC is analysed.