[A study of the number of binding sites of estrogen receptors as a malignancy factor in primary breast cancer].
Whether or not estrogen receptor (ER) is an indicator of malignancy in breast cancer remains to be clarified. Although there are a number of reports on the prognosis examined in relation to the presence or absence of ER, few studies have examined the number of ER binding sites. We investigated whether or not the number of ER binding sites could serve as an indicator of malignancy in ER positive patients. The subjects were 109 patients with primary breast cancer who underwent surgery between 1985 and 1987. The dextran-coated charcoal assay was used to determine ER. The number of ER binding sites over 5 fmol/mg cytosol protein (fmol/mg c.p.) was regarded as positive. The ER positive rate among all patients with breast cancer was 69.7%. Analysis of the relations of ER positive rate to each grade of the stage, n factor, menstruation, CA15-3 and nuclear DNA content revealed no correlation with any of these factors, except for the nuclear DNA content, suggesting that the presence or absence of ER alone does not indicate malignancy. There was a significant difference between the average number of ER binding sites of pre-climacteric patients and that of post-climacteric patients, 32.31 +/- 26.72 fmol/mg c.p. and 126.94 +/- 125.88 fmol/mg c.p., respectively. So it is considered that the analysis of the number of ER binding sites should be evaluated according to their menstrual states.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
Nihei
M
M
Tsuchiya
A
A
Kimijima
I
I
Suzuki
S
S
Rokkaku
Y
Y
Nomizu
T
T
Abe
R
R
D015295:Antigens, Tumor-Associated, Carbohydrate / Q000032:analysis; D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000032:analysis*; D002979:Climacteric / Q000378:metabolism; D004273:DNA, Neoplasm / Q000032:analysis; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D009367:Neoplasm Staging; D011003:Ploidies; D011960:Receptors, Estrogen / Q000032:analysis*
D015295:Antigens, Tumor-Associated, Carbohydrate; D004273:DNA, Neoplasm; D011960:Receptors, Estrogen