Hormones and Cancer

The papers in this volume were presented at the Symposium on Hormones and Cancer held March 24-26, 1980, at the Worcester Foundation for Experimental Biology, Shrewsbury, MA. The meeting was organized to review recent advances in basic and clinical research work on hormone-responsive tumors of the reproductive system. The association between protracted hormone action and cancer of the reproductive system is now irrefutable. Yet we still do not know how hormones initiate and promote neoplastic transformation of their target cells. A major effort is cur- rently being directed at understanding the hormonal regulation of neoplastic cells, especially those arising from the breast, uterus, pituitary gland and prostate. The symposium brought together leading experts whose research is focused on this impor- tant area of human health. Although many questions remain to be answered by future studies, the material covered in this volume provides an up-to-date overview of the current status of work in this area. The subjects range from the mechanism of hormone action to the treatment of hormone-dependent tumors, and topics include estrogen, progestin, androgen and glucocorticoid action~ hormone receptors~ specific protein responses~ developmental effects of estrogens and antiestrogens~ the DES syndrome~ regu- lation of the cell cycle~ therapeutic effects of antiestrogens, aromatase inhibitors, iodoestrogens, progestins on estrogen- dependent tumors~ characterization of retinoid-binding sites~ and the utility of various tumor markers.