title: Steroid receptors in carcinoma of the breast. Results of immunocytochemical and biochemical determination and their effects on short-term prognosis.
abstract: A group of 241 nonpretreated breast carcinomas was studied for estrogen receptor (ER) and progesterone receptor (PR) content by both immunocytochemistry (ICC) and biochemical analysis (dextran-coated charcoal [DCC]). While the tumors were judged to be ER positive in 67.6% and PR positive in 65.6% by ICC, DCC analysis showed positive results in 77.6% for both ER and PR. There was only a moderate correlation between the semiquantitative results of ER and PR ICC and the corresponding values for DCC receptor determination. Among tumors shown to be steroid receptor positive by ICC, a majority showed a wide spectrum of staining intensity, from negative to intensely positive (type C staining pattern, ER 87.7%, PR 73.4%). Less frequently, carcinomas showing uniform, intense staining of all epithelial tumor cells were observed (type A staining pattern, ER 11.7%, PR 18.4%). Finally, only very few tumors had both clearly negative and distinctly positive cells (type B staining pattern, ER 0.6%, PR 8.2%). On analyzing the relationship between the expression of steroid receptors (ICC and DCC) and the prognostic factors axillary node status, tumor size, tumor histology, grade and patient age, only a significant correlation between patient age and ER (ICC, r = .46; DCC, r = .43), a weakly significant negative correlation between node involvement and ER, and a weakly significant negative correlation between tumor grade and ER (ICC only) as well as between tumor grade and PR were found. Among all patients, the recurrence-free interval was significantly longer in patients with ER- or PR-positive carcinomas (ICC and DCC).(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
authors.affiliation: Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of Freiburg, Germany.
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Kommoss
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Pfisterer
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Idris
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Giese
authors.forename: W
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Sauerbrei
authors.forename: W
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Schäfer
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Thome
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Pfleiderer
mesh_terms: D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal; D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000378:metabolism*; D002277:Carcinoma / Q000378:metabolism*; D006801:Humans; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D011379:Prognosis; D011869:Radioligand Assay; D011960:Receptors, Estrogen / Q000032:analysis* / Q000276:immunology; D011980:Receptors, Progesterone / Q000032:analysis* / Q000276:immunology
chemical_list: D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal; D011960:Receptors, Estrogen; D011980:Receptors, Progesterone