title: The clinical value of multiple steroid receptor assays in breast cancer management.
abstract: Measurement of cytoplasmic estrogen (REc) and progesterone (RPc) receptors in human breast tumors together with estrogen receptor activity in the residual pellet ("nuclear" REN) provides a more accurate prediction of hormonal dependence that REc alone. Of 74 patients with advanced metastatic breast cancer, 57% of those with REc+ tumors had an objective response to endocrine manipulation. Of 51 patients whose tumor was assayed for both REc and RPc activity, 9 of 12 patients with REc+ RPc+ tumors showed remission, whereas only 3 of 30 patients with REc- RPc-, 2 of 6 with REc+ RPc-, and 2 of 3 with REc- RPc+ tumors had a clinical response. In a group of 19 patients where triple assay was performed, 5 of 6 with tumors positive for all three receptors responded, whereas 9 patients with triple negative tumors all showed no remission. Fifty-nine percent of primary and 60% of metastatic tumors with REc+ activity were also shown to be RPc+. Thirteen percent of REc- tumors were RPc+. Patients with REc+ RPc+ primary tumors tended to have a longer disease-free interval than patients with RPc- tumors, irrespective of whether the tumors were REc+ or REc-. In the light of the possibility of employing receptor status of the primary tumor to predict hormonal responsiveness in subsequent recurrences, a comparison is made of receptor status measured in primary tumors and metastases.
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D000368:Aged; D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000378:metabolism / Q000628:therapy*; D002369:Castration; D005260:Female; D006728:Hormones / Q000627:therapeutic use; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D009362:Neoplasm Metastasis; D011960:Receptors, Estrogen / Q000032:analysis*; D011980:Receptors, Progesterone / Q000032:analysis*
chemical_list: D006728:Hormones; D011960:Receptors, Estrogen; D011980:Receptors, Progesterone