| Abstract: | The estrogen receptors (ER) in breast cancer tissues were investigated in 122 patients using an immunoperoxidase method. ER (+) were evident in 77 of 122 patients (63.1 per cent). If classified according to pre- and postmenopausal subjects. ER (+) was seen in 61.4 per cent and ER (-) in 32.9 per cent before menopause, and ER (+) in 65.4 per cent and ER (-) in 30.8 per cent after menopause with no marked difference between the two. If classified according to histological type, ER (+) was seen in 72.3 per cent of those with papillotubular carcinoma and in 62.0 per cent of those with scirrhous carcinoma, whereas ER (-) was seen in 44.9 per cent of those with medullary tubular carcinoma. ER (+) was seen in carcinoma with apocrine metaplasia, lobular carcinoma and Paget's carcinoma. Concerning the relationship between primary tumors and metastatic lymph nodes, ER (+) for both was seen in 20 of 41 patients (48.8 per cent) whereas ER (-) for both was found in 9 of 41 patients (22.0 per cent). Four patients with local recurrences had a positive ER (+) at the beginning of treatment, but the ER became negative after hormonal treatment and chemotherapy. |
