The discrepancy between immunocytochemical and biochemical assay of estrogen receptor in breast cancer patients treated by endocrine therapy.
Estrogen receptor (ER) expression was investigated by ER-immunocytochemical assay (ICA) and the dextran coated charcoal (DCC) method in 10 recurrent or primary-advanced breast cancer patients treated with endocrine or chemo-endocrine therapy. In 6 of these 10 patients, ER was examined both before and after treatments by the 2 methods. ER contents measured by the DCC method were found to be decreased after treatments, however, no change in the immunoreactivities of ER-ICA was observed. In the remaining 4 patients, the ER of new lesions refractory to endocrine or chemo-endocrine therapy was examined. ER status was determined as negative in 3 of the 4 patients by the DCC method, whereas by ER-ICA, the proportion of ER stained cells was about 70 per cent, those cells being diffusely distributed in the section. A discrepancy between ER-ICA and the DCC method was thus demonstrated in breast cancer patients treated by endocrine therapy.
Toi
M
M
Department of Surgery, Hiroshima University, Japan.
Nakamura
T
T
Wada
T
T
Yamamoto
A
A
Toge
T
T
Niimoto
M
M
Hattori
T
T
D000315:Adrenalectomy; D000971:Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols / Q000627:therapeutic use; D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000032:analysis* / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000601:surgery; D003520:Cyclophosphamide / Q000627:therapeutic use; D004317:Doxorubicin / Q000627:therapeutic use; D005260:Female; D005472:Fluorouracil / Q000627:therapeutic use; D006801:Humans; D010052:Ovariectomy; D011960:Receptors, Estrogen / Q000032:analysis*; D013629:Tamoxifen / Q000627:therapeutic use; D005641:Tegafur / Q000627:therapeutic use
D011960:Receptors, Estrogen; D013629:Tamoxifen; D005641:Tegafur; D004317:Doxorubicin; D003520:Cyclophosphamide; D005472:Fluorouracil