Clinicopathological characteristics of estrogen receptor-beta-positive human breast cancers.
Recent studies have identified the presence of estrogen receptor (ER)-beta in addition to ER-alpha in human breast cancers, but the clinicopathological characteristics of ER-beta-positive tumors remain to be established. In this study, we have conducted an immunohistochemical analysis of ER-alpha and ER-beta expression in human breast cancers. In addition, we investigated the correlation of ER-alpha and ER-beta expression with progesterone receptor (PR) status, determined by enzyme immunoassay, and with various clinicopathological factors. Of 79 tumors, 49 (62%) were positive for ER-alpha and 24 (30%) were positive for ER-beta, and there was no significant association between ER-alpha and ER-beta expression. ER-alpha-positive tumors were significantly more likely to be PR-positive than were ER-alpha-negative tumors (P < 0.0001), but there was no significant association between ER-beta expression and PR status. However, the PR values of ER-alpha-positive and ER-beta-positive tumors (65 +/- 17 fmol / mg protein, mean +/- SE) were marginally significantly lower than those of ER-alpha-positive and ER-beta-negative tumors (340 +/- 109) (P = 0.08). ER-beta positivity was significantly associated with small tumor size ( < or = 2 cm) and high histological grade (P < 0.05), and this association was also observed when only ER-alpha-positive tumors were considered. These results suggest that determination of ER-beta status might be clinically useful for further defining the characteristics of ER-alpha-positive tumors.
Miyoshi
Y
Y
Department of Surgical Oncology, Osaka University Medical School, Suita-shi, Osaka 565-0871.
Taguchi
T
T
Gustafsson
J A
JA
Noguchi
S
S
D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000145:classification / Q000473:pathology*; D047628:Estrogen Receptor alpha; D047629:Estrogen Receptor beta; D005260:Female; D015972:Gene Expression Regulation, Neoplastic; D006801:Humans; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D008207:Lymphatic Metastasis; D008593:Menopause; D011960:Receptors, Estrogen / Q000032:analysis*; D011980:Receptors, Progesterone / Q000032:analysis
D047628:Estrogen Receptor alpha; D047629:Estrogen Receptor beta; D011960:Receptors, Estrogen; D011980:Receptors, Progesterone