Oestrogen receptor assay of breast cancer by immunocytochemistry of fine needle aspirates.
Sixty-five patients with operable breast cancer were studied to assess the reliability of immunocytochemical analysis of oestrogen receptor (ER-ICA) in specimens obtained by percutaneous fine needle aspiration. Results obtained with the commercially available ER-ICA kit were compared with those obtained by the routine biochemical radioligand assay of oestrogen receptor (ER) on excised tumour specimens. Fifty-two of 65 percutaneous aspirates were evaluable. Of these, thirty-five (67%) were ER positive by the radioligand method. ER-ICA was found to be a reliable method for oestrogen receptor assay, with a high concordance (90.4%) between it and the radioligand essay. The ER-ICA assay had a sensitivity of 89%, specificity of 94%, positive predictive value of 97% and negative predictive value of 80%. ER-ICA assay performed on material obtained by fine-needle aspiration is a reliable method of ER assay. It can replace formal biopsy for patients with inoperable primary tumours or accessible metastases.
Kitchen
P R
PR
Department of Surgery, St Vincent's Hospital, Fitzroy, Victoria, Australia.
Stillwell
R G
RG
Henderson
M A
MA
Bennett
R C
RC
Rennie
G C
GC
Kou
S J
SJ
Georgiou
T
T
Ayberk
H
H
D002288:Adenocarcinoma, Mucinous / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D001707:Biopsy, Needle; D001940:Breast / Q000473:pathology*; D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D002285:Carcinoma, Intraductal, Noninfiltrating / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007150:Immunohistochemistry / Q000592:standards; D011869:Radioligand Assay / Q000592:standards; D011960:Receptors, Estrogen / Q000032:analysis*; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity
D011960:Receptors, Estrogen