Clinical and experimental aspects of hormone receptors in breast carcinoma patients.
Estrogen (ER) and progesterone (PgR) receptor contents were determined in 214 patients with primary mammary carcinoma. Premenopausal and postmenopausal females (43 and 48%, respectively) were found to be ER and PgR positive. ER levels between 100 and 500 fmol/mg protein were observed in 37% postmenopausal and 14% premenopausal patients, respectively. ER distribution between lymph node-positive and -negative patients did not differ significantly. Subjects without detectable ER had recurrences earlier than did subjects with ER. On the other hand, no differences in recurrence rates were noted when PgR-positive and -negative patients were compared. In addition, the determination of ER did not permit selection of patients for adjuvant cytotoxic chemotherapy. Furthermore, the action of tamoxifen was investigated in the rat pituitary as a model system. Tamoxifen was found to act as antiestrogen at the level of transcription by inhibiting the accumulation of estrogen-stimulated preprolactin mRNA. Combined data suggest that patients with positive lymph nodes and positive receptors may benefit from combined endocrine plus cytotoxic adjuvant chemotherapy.
D000818:Animals; D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000032:analysis* / Q000188:drug therapy; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008593:Menopause; D011388:Prolactin / Q000096:biosynthesis; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000032:analysis; D051381:Rats; D011919:Rats, Inbred Strains; D011960:Receptors, Estrogen / Q000032:analysis*; D011980:Receptors, Progesterone / Q000032:analysis*; D013629:Tamoxifen / Q000494:pharmacology
D012333:RNA, Messenger; D011960:Receptors, Estrogen; D011980:Receptors, Progesterone; D013629:Tamoxifen; D011388:Prolactin