Plasma prolactin in patients with colorectal cancer

Ahmad Reza Soroush¹^,2 , Hosein Mahmood zadeh¹ , Mehrnush Moemeni² , Behnam Shakiba³ and Sara Elmi³

¹Department of surgery, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Shariati hospital, kargar shomali st, Tehran 14114, Iran

²Research Development Centre, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Shariati hospital, kargar shomali st, Tehran 14114, Iran

³Students' Scientific Research Centre (SSRC), Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran

author email corresponding author email

BMC Cancer 2004, 4:97doi:10.1186/1471-2407-4-97


Published:	23 December 2004

Abstract

Background

Colorectal cancer is a common malignancy of the gastrointestinal tract. It is the second cancer cause of death in females and third in males. Production of prolactin has been reported with several tumours. However, elevated prolactin plasma levels in colorectal cancer patients remained unclear.

Methods

In this cross sectional study serum prolactin and carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA) concentrations were assayed using immunoradiometric assay kits, preoperatively in 47 patients, and the results were compared with 51 age and sex matched controls.

Results

Prolactin and CEA concentration in patients were significantly more as compared with controls. Hyperprolactinemia was found in 36 (76.6%) patients, while 28 (59.6%) had high level of CEA.

Conclusions

Prolactin may be a better tumour marker than CEA in patients with colorectal malignancy.