title: Estrogen receptors in pancreatic tumors.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Although a potential role for estrogen receptors (ER) in pancreatic tumors has been debated for many years, the importance of the receptors in these neoplasms remains unknown. Even the expression of the 2 ER isoforms, ER-alpha and ER-beta, in histological subtypes of pancreatic neoplasms is controversial. The aim of the present study was to systematically review the available literature about ER expression in pancreatic tumors and to discuss the potential importance of estrogen signaling in them.
  
  
  METHODS
  We performed a comprehensive literature search and analyzed the results regarding ER expression in pancreatic tumors, with special emphasis on the specificity of the antibodies used for immunohistochemistry.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Many articles have been published investigating the expression of ERs in pancreatic tumors, but the results are inconsistent. Moreover, most studies used antibodies that detected only ER-alpha, not ER-beta. Thus, the expression pattern of ER-beta in pancreatic neoplasm remains especially unclear.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The lack of detailed studies evaluating the expression of both ER-alpha and ER-beta receptors using isoform-specific antibodies likely contributes to the inconsistency of published results concerning ER expression in pancreatic tumors. Available published evidence suggests that a thorough reexamination of the potential role of ERs in pancreatic neoplasms is warranted.
authors.affiliation: Division of General Surgery, David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA, Los Angeles, CA 90095-7330, USA.
authors.forename: Makoto
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Satake
authors.forename: Hirozumi
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Sawai
authors.forename: Vay Liang W
authors.initials: VL
authors.lastname: Go
authors.forename: Katsusuke
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Satake
authors.forename: Howard A
authors.initials: HA
authors.lastname: Reber
authors.forename: Oscar J
authors.initials: OJ
authors.lastname: Hines
authors.forename: Guido
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Eibl
mesh_terms: D002288:Adenocarcinoma, Mucinous / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D000818:Animals; D021441:Carcinoma, Pancreatic Ductal / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D018283:Cystadenocarcinoma, Papillary / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D047628:Estrogen Receptor alpha / Q000032:analysis / Q000378:metabolism*; D047629:Estrogen Receptor beta / Q000032:analysis / Q000378:metabolism*; D004967:Estrogens / Q000378:metabolism; D006801:Humans; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D010190:Pancreatic Neoplasms / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D011487:Protein Conformation
chemical_list: D047628:Estrogen Receptor alpha; D047629:Estrogen Receptor beta; D004967:Estrogens