The differing predictive values of oestrogen receptor assays for large breast cancers.
Thirty elderly patients with T3 or T4 breast cancer underwent a wedge biopsy for radioligand-binding assay (RLA) of oestrogen receptor (ER) activity. A second, separate group of 21 elderly patients with T3 and T4 breast cancers underwent fine needle aspiration biopsy (FNA) for immunocytochemical assay of ER (ER-ICA). All the women received tamoxifen as primary treatment and response was assessed by UICC criteria. Tumour ER concentration by RLA was correlated with both response (Spearman's R = + 0.52) and time to progression (R = + 0.76). Nine patients with receptor-rich tumours (> 100 fmol/mg protein) failed to show a response. However, the percentage of cells staining for ER by ER-ICA assay was much more strongly related to the likelihood of response (R = + 0.89); no patient with < 20% cells staining responded. Wedge biopsy and the biochemical determination of ER activity is of limited value in predicting the likely response to tamoxifen; ER-ICA assays on such tumours may be more informative.
Gaskell
D J
DJ
University Department of Surgery, Royal Infirmary, Edinburgh, UK.
Hawkins
R A
RA
Tesdale
A L
AL
Sangster
K
K
Chetty
U
U
Forrest
A P
AP
D000368:Aged; D001706:Biopsy; D001707:Biopsy, Needle; D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000473:pathology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D009363:Neoplasm Proteins / Q000032:analysis*; D011379:Prognosis; D011869:Radioligand Assay; D011960:Receptors, Estrogen / Q000032:analysis*; D013629:Tamoxifen / Q000627:therapeutic use
D009363:Neoplasm Proteins; D011960:Receptors, Estrogen; D013629:Tamoxifen