title: Estrogen and Progesterone hormone receptor expression in oral cavity cancer.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Recent studies have shown an increase in the incidence of oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) in younger patients. The hypothesis that tumors could be hormonally induced during pregnancy or in young female patients without the well-known risk factors alcohol or tobacco abuse seems to be plausible.
  
  
  METHODS
  Estrogen Receptor alpha (ERα) and Progesterone Receptor (PR) expression were analyzed in normal oral mucosa (n=5), oral precursor lesions (simple hyperplasia, n=11; squamous intraepithelial neoplasia, SIN I-III, n=35), and OSCC specimen. OSCCs were stratified in a young female (n=7) study cohort and older patients (n=46). In the young female study cohort three patients (n=3/7) developed OSCC during or shortly after pregnancy. Breast cancer tissues were used as positive control for ERα and PR expression.
  
  
  RESULTS
  ERα expression was found in four oral precursor lesions (squamous intraepithelial neoplasia, SIN I-III, n=4/35, 11%) and in five OSCC specimen (n=5/46, 11%). The five ERα positive OSCC samples were older male patients. All patients within the young female study cohort were negatively stained for both ERα and PR.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  ER expression could be regarded as a seldom risk factor for OSCC. PR expression seems to be not relevant for the development of OSCC.
authors.affiliation: Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, University Hospital Tuebingen, Osianderstrasse 2-8, 72076, Tuebingen, Germany, dr.dr.martingrimm@googlemail.com.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Grimm
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Biegner
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Teriete
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Hoefert
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Krimmel
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Munz
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Reinert
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D002294:Carcinoma, Squamous Cell / Q000378:metabolism*; D004967:Estrogens; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009061:Mouth Mucosa; D009062:Mouth Neoplasms / Q000378:metabolism*; D011247:Pregnancy; D011374:Progesterone; D011960:Receptors, Estrogen / Q000378:metabolism*; D011980:Receptors, Progesterone / Q000378:metabolism*; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D004967:Estrogens; D011960:Receptors, Estrogen; D011980:Receptors, Progesterone; D011374:Progesterone