Intracystic lipidic profile in fibrocystic breast disease

This study was designed to investigate the lipidic profile of fibrocystic breast disease. The study entailed measuring total cholesterol, high-density lipoprotein-cholesterol (HDL-C), low-density lipoprotein-cholesterol (LDL-C), very low-density lipoprotein-cholesterol (VLDL-C) and triglyceride levels in the serum of 50 women with fibrocystic breast disease without macrocysts, and in the serum and breast cyst fluid of 60 women with fibrocystic breast disease and macrocysts. The relationships between the lipids analyzed in the cyst fluid and intracystic estradiol, progesterone, dehydroepiandrosterone sulfate, testosterone and 17α-hydroxyprogesterone were studied. No differences were found for serum lipid levels between the two groups of patients. The levels of total cholesterol and HDL-C were found to be significantly higher, and the levels of triglycerides and VLDL- C significantly lower in breast cyst fluid compared to serum. In cysts with high potassium concentrations, we found a higher concentration of cholesterol and HDL-C and a lower concentration of LDL-C than in cysts with a potassium/sodium ratio < 3. No significant differences were found in cystic levels of triglycerides and VLDL-C. Multiple regression analysis showed that the only intracystic variable, which was, in part, positively responsible for the hormone levels measured, was HDL-C. These data suggest that local steroidogenesis in fibrocystic breast disease uses HDL-C as the substrate.