Progesterone receptor levels independently predict survival in endometrial adenocarcinoma.
Estrogen receptor (ER) and progesterone receptor (PR) contents were determined by biochemical (dextran charcoal-coated (DCC) assay) and immunohistochemical (ICA) methods in biopsies from 145 primary endometrial adenocarcinomas and those with eligible receptor measurements were analyzed with respect to correlations to cancer-specific survival in a multivariate analysis including histopathological characteristics. Median patient follow-up time was 67 months with 18 cancer deaths. The PR-DCC and ER-DCC values were dichotomized according to levels previously found by us to correspond to the best agreement between receptor status as determined by the DCC and ICA methods (130 fmol/mg cytosol protein for ER, 114 fmol/mg for PR). Using these thresholds, we found by multivariate analysis that "high" PR-DCC levels (> 114 fmol/mg) correlated significantly (P = 0.004) with survival, independent of stage risk group (Ia + b vs Ic-IV). Patient age and histologic grade were prognostic factors in a univariate setting, but these parameters were eliminated in the multivariate model. While the PR-ICA scores also correlated significantly and independently with survival, the predictive effect of PR-ICA positivity alone could not be statistically evaluated due to the number of cases with eligible ICA values. However, we suggest that owing to a close correlation between DCC and ICA results, PR-ICA status may provide significant prognostic information when DCC measurements are not available.
Department of Gynecology and Obstetrics, University of Copenhagen, Hvidovre Hospital, Denmark.
H C
HC
Nyholm
I J
IJ
Christensen
A L
AL
Nielsen
D000230:Adenocarcinoma / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000401:mortality* / Q000473:pathology; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D016889:Endometrial Neoplasms / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000401:mortality* / Q000473:pathology; D005260:Female; D005544:Forecasting; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D009367:Neoplasm Staging; D011980:Receptors, Progesterone / Q000378:metabolism*; D016019:Survival Analysis
D011980:Receptors, Progesterone