Immunohistochemical detection of sex steroid receptors in breast cancer using routine paraffin sections: comparison with frozen sections and enzyme immunoassay.
Estrogen and progesterone receptors (ER and PR) on 48 surgically removed breast cancers were evaluated by three methods: immunoenzymatic (ER/PR-EIA), immunohistochemical in frozen sections (ER/PR-ICA), and immunohistochemical in paraffin sections (ER/PR-PAR). The monoclonal antibodies H222 and KD68 were used for immunohistochemical detection of ER and PR, respectively. Immunohistochemical stains for pS2, an estrogen-regulated protein, were also done for compatibility with previous ER/PR-PAR studies. We assessed concordance with chi-square and Pearson's correlation coefficient. We concluded that ER/PR-PAR is the least sensitive of the three assays (90.9% ER, 88.5% PR) and, until appropriate technical and clinical validation is achieved, should not be used as a first-line assay. Also, because of this lower sensitivity, we recommended that pS2 evaluation always accompany ER/PR-PAR to facilitate distinction between clinical negatives and those due to irretrievably lost immunoreactivity. We also conclude that ER/PR-ICA is a good semi-quantitative method that, in combination with ER/PR-EIA, most accurately assesses receptor status.
Elias
J M
JM
Department of Pathology, State University of New York, Stony Brook, 11794-7025.
Margiotta
M
M
Sexton
T R
TR
Heimann
A
A
D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000473:pathology* / Q000601:surgery; D004967:Estrogens; D005615:Freezing; D006652:Histological Techniques; D006801:Humans; D007124:Immunoenzyme Techniques; D007150:Immunohistochemistry / Q000379:methods*; D009363:Neoplasm Proteins / Q000032:analysis; D010232:Paraffin; D011506:Proteins; D011960:Receptors, Estrogen / Q000032:analysis*; D011980:Receptors, Progesterone / Q000032:analysis*; D000071163:Trefoil Factor-1; D025521:Tumor Suppressor Proteins
D004967:Estrogens; D009363:Neoplasm Proteins; D011506:Proteins; D011960:Receptors, Estrogen; D011980:Receptors, Progesterone; C051838:TFF1 protein, human; D000071163:Trefoil Factor-1; D025521:Tumor Suppressor Proteins; D010232:Paraffin