Immunohistochemical estrogen receptor determination in paraffin-embedded tissue. Prediction of response to hormonal treatment in advanced breast cancer.
A new immunohistochemical assay using a monoclonal estrogen receptor (ER) antibody (H222, Abbott Laboratories, North Chicago) for determination of ER in formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded tissue was applied to evaluate its clinical value in a group of 145 previously untreated patients with advanced breast cancer. Suitable histologic material was accessible in 137 of these patients, of whom 70% had ER-positive tumors. The ER-positive patients had a significantly longer median overall survival than ER-negative patients (67 versus 32 months, P much less than 0.001) and this was an effect of both a prolonged disease-free interval (27 versus 17 months, P less than 0.05) and a prolonged survival after recurrence (41 versus 15 months, P much less than 0.001). Response to endocrine therapy was obtained in 49% of the patients with ER-positive tumors and in 7% with ER-negative tumors (P much less than 0.001). Relationship between response and semiquantified individual staining features could not be established. It is concluded that ER analysis in formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded tissue offers clinically useful information for allocation of patients to endocrine therapy.
Andersen
J
J
Department of Oncology and Radiotherapy, Radiumstationen, Aarhus C, Denmark.
Poulsen
H S
HS
D000368:Aged; D000616:Aminoglutethimide / Q000008:administration & dosage; D000971:Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000401:mortality; D004054:Diethylstilbestrol / Q000008:administration & dosage; D005260:Female; D005474:Fluoxymesterone / Q000008:administration & dosage; D006801:Humans; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D008593:Menopause; D008875:Middle Aged; D009364:Neoplasm Recurrence, Local / Q000401:mortality; D010232:Paraffin; D011960:Receptors, Estrogen / Q000032:analysis*; D016019:Survival Analysis; D013629:Tamoxifen / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use*
D011960:Receptors, Estrogen; D013629:Tamoxifen; D000616:Aminoglutethimide; D004054:Diethylstilbestrol; D010232:Paraffin; D005474:Fluoxymesterone