Natural interferon-beta treatment and steroid hormone receptors in primary endometrial cancer.
Forty-three patients with primary endometrial carcinoma were treated with natural interferon-beta (IFN-beta) at two different dose levels (2 x 10(6) IU or 6 x 10(6) IU im 3 times/week for 1 week). IFN-beta increased receptors for estrogens (ER) and progesterone (PR) in a high percentage of the 40 evaluable patients, without modifying the receptor affinity. The ER and PR enhancement, which was simultaneous in at least 50% of patients, and the increase of over 100 fmol/mg protein observed in some cases suggest that IFN-beta exerts a profound influence on receptor expression and, probably, on the hormone sensitivity of the tumor.
Instituto di Istologia ed Embriologia, Facoltà di Medicina e Chirurgia, Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore, Rome, Italy.
G
G
Sica
F
F
Iacopino
G
G
Lama
P
P
Marchetti
L
L
Carenza
S
S
Dell'Acqua
F
F
De Cicco Nardone
A
A
Lombardi
L
L
Mariani
C
C
Villani
D000230:Adenocarcinoma / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000378:metabolism; D000368:Aged; D016889:Endometrial Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000378:metabolism; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D016899:Interferon-beta / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000494:pharmacology* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D008875:Middle Aged; D009376:Neoplasms, Hormone-Dependent / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000378:metabolism; D011960:Receptors, Estrogen / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000187:drug effects; D011980:Receptors, Progesterone / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000187:drug effects; D011987:Receptors, Steroid / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000187:drug effects*
D011960:Receptors, Estrogen; D011980:Receptors, Progesterone; D011987:Receptors, Steroid; D016899:Interferon-beta