Oncological diseases, due to the still increasing morbidity and mortality, are one of the main problems of modern medicine. Cancer of the mammary gland is the most common cancer among women around the world, and is the second cause of cancer deaths in this group, immediately after lung cancer. This kind of cancer belongs to an estrogen-dependent cancer, with proven associations
with hormonal disorders in the body, occurring especially in the perimenopausal period and among
women using hormone replacement therapy, as well as a result of the action of various xenobiotics
that may interact with the estrogen receptor. Hormone steroids are widely used in medicine
and their side effects are constantly discussed. The role of these compounds and their metabolites
in maintaining hormonal balance is well understood, while many studies indicate the possible
contribution of these steroids in the progression of the cancer process, especially in mammary
gland tissue. Therefore, the genotoxic action of this group of compounds is still studied. Due to
the limited number of scientific reports, the aim of this paper was to review and critically analyze
data from the literature regarding the participation of estrogens (17β-estradiol) and their metabolites
(2-methoxy estradiol, 4-hydroxy estradiol, 16α-hydroxyestrone) in the induction of carcinogenesis
in mammary gland, in particular concerning the genotoxic activity of 17β-estradiol metabolites.
Minireview: C2- and C4-position 17β-estradiol metabolites and their relation to breast cancer
