OBJECTIVETo explore the relationship between the levels of estrogen (E2) and progestogen (P), expression of estrogen receptor (ER) and progesterone receptor (PR) and cervical cancer.

METHODSA case-control study with hospital and community controls was employed. The levels of serum estrogen and progesterone were detected by enzyme linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) for 141 cervical cancer cases, 137 uterine myoma patients as controls and 129 health women as controls. ER and PR were measured by immunohistochemistry sABC in cervix tissues from patients with cervical cancer and uterus myoma as well.

RESULTSThe levels of estrogen (47.49 ng/mL) and progesterone (2.34 pg/mL) in cases were significantly higher than those in both control groups. The association between estrogen and cervical cancer was significant both before and after menopause-adjusted, with over 89% of attributable risk percentage (ARP), and showed a dose-response relation. Using the lowest value of 2 pg/ml in follicular phase as cut off point for progesterone, there were no statistically significant difference between cases and controls, and neither in progesterone nor in premenopausal. The expressions of ER and PR in cases were lower than those in controls, even after being menopause-adjusted.

CONCLUSIONThe high level of endogenous estrogen and progestogen might increase the risk of cervical cancer. Compared with progestogen, estrogen showed a higher risk that was not influenced by menopause. In some sense, ER and PR may exert certain protective effect on progressing of cervical carcinogenesis.