Skip to main page content
U.S. flag

An official website of the United States government

Dot gov

The .gov means it’s official.
Federal government websites often end in .gov or .mil. Before sharing sensitive information, make sure you’re on a federal government site.

Https

The site is secure.
The https:// ensures that you are connecting to the official website and that any information you provide is encrypted and transmitted securely.

Access keys NCBI Homepage MyNCBI Homepage Main Content Main Navigation
Comparative Study
. 2010 Feb 1;116(3):592-9.
doi: 10.1002/cncr.24746.

Antimullerian hormone and inhibin B are hormone measures of ovarian function in late reproductive-aged breast cancer survivors

H Irene Su  1 , Mary D Sammel, Jamie Green, Luke Velders, Corrie Stankiewicz, Jennifer Matro, Ellen W Freeman, Clarisa R Gracia, Angela DeMichele
Affiliations
Comparative Study

Antimullerian hormone and inhibin B are hormone measures of ovarian function in late reproductive-aged breast cancer survivors

H Irene Su et al. Cancer. .

Abstract

Background: In late reproductive-aged breast cancer survivors, there is a need for real-time biomarkers of postchemotherapy ovarian function. The objective was to determine whether antimullerian hormone (AMH) and inhibin B are such biomarkers. The authors tested whether AMH and inhibin B were impacted by breast cancer treatment by comparing cancer survivors to age-matched control women and determined the association between these hormones and postchemotherapy menstrual pattern.

Methods: Breast cancer patients (n = 127) with American Joint Committee on Cancer stage I to III disease who were premenopausal at diagnosis were enrolled postchemotherapy and observed. The primary endpoint was chemotherapy-related amenorrhea (CRA) (> or = 12 months of amenorrhea after chemotherapy). Matched pair analyses compared AMH, inhibin B, and follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH) levels between cancer and age-matched control subjects. Associations between hormones, CRA status, and change in CRA status over time were assessed.

Results: The median age of the patients at chemotherapy was 43.2 years (range, 26.7-57.8 years). At enrollment, median follow-up since chemotherapy was 2.1 years, and 55% of subjects had CRA. Compared with age-matched controls, cancer subjects had significantly lower AMH (P = .004) and inhibin B (P < .001) and higher FSH (P < .001). AMH (P = .002) and inhibin B (P = .001) were found to be significantly associated with risk of CRA, even after controlling for FSH. AMH was significantly lower (P = .03) and FSH was significantly higher (P = .04) in menstruating subjects who developed subsequent CRA.

Conclusions: AMH and inhibin B are 2 additional measures of postchemotherapy ovarian function in late reproductive-aged breast cancer survivors. With further research and validation, these hormones may supplement limited current tools for assessing and predicting postchemotherapy ovarian function.

PubMed Disclaimer

References

    1. Ries LAG MD, Krapcho M, Stinchcomb DG, Howlader N, Horner MJ, Mariotto A, Miller BA, Feuer EJ, Altekruse SF, Lewis DR, Clegg L, Eisner MP, Reichman M, Edwards BK. Bethesda, MD: National Cancer Institute; 2008. SEER Cancer Statistics Review, 1975–2005. based on November 2007 SEER data submission, posted to the SEER web site http://seer.cancer.gov/csr/1975_2005/
    1. Jemal A, Siegel R, Ward E, et al. Cancer statistics, 2008. CA Cancer J Clin. 2008;58(2):71–96. - PubMed
    1. Network NCC. NCCN Clinical Practice Guidelines in Oncology Breast Cancer. 2007;vol. v2(2007)
    1. Goodwin PJ, Ennis M, Pritchard KI, Trudeau M, Hood N. Risk of menopause during the first year after breast cancer diagnosis. J Clin Oncol. 1999;17(8):2365–2370. - PubMed
    1. Byrne J, Fears TR, Gail MH, et al. Early menopause in long-term survivors of cancer during adolescence. Am J Obstet Gynecol. 1992;166(3):788–793. - PubMed

Publication types