Abstract
The reproducibility of measurements of oestrogen-receptor activity has been examined in multiple specimens from a rabbit uterus, a rat mammary tumour and human breast tumours. The relationship between receptor concentration and tumour histology has also been investigated in 11 large primary tumours. In the animal tissues, receptor measurements were relatively reproducible (coefficient of variance: wet wt. basis 16-17%, protein basis 16-21%) but in human breast tumours receptor activity varied considerably (c.v.: wet wt. basis, 22-125%; protein basis, 28-72%). In addition to these variations in receptor activity within tumours, there was a difference between tumours, as demonstrated by an analysis of variance (P less than 0.01). In the 11 primary breast cancers selected for study, the level of receptor activity was related to menopausal status and the tumour content of the specimen. We conclude that the receptor activity detected varies within a tumour and depends upon the tumour content of the biopsy specimen. Predictions based on precise quantitation of receptor concentrations may therefore necessitate replicate tumour sampling and correction for the fraction of non-tumour tissue in each sample.
Full text
PDF
Selected References
These references are in PubMed. This may not be the complete list of references from this article.
- Braunsberg H. Factors influencing the estimation of oestrogen receptors in human malignant breast tumours. Eur J Cancer. 1975 Jul;11(7):499–507. doi: 10.1016/0014-2964(75)90152-8. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
- FOLCA P. J., GLASCOCK R. F., IRVINE W. T. Studies with tritium-labelled hexoestrol in advanced breast cancer. Comparison of tissue accumulation of hexoestrol with response to bilateral adrenalectomy and oophorectomy. Lancet. 1961 Oct 7;2(7206):796–798. doi: 10.1016/s0140-6736(61)91088-1. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
- Hawkins R. A., Hill A., Freedman B. A simple method for the determination of oestrogen receptor concentrations in breast tumours and other tissues. Clin Chim Acta. 1975 Oct 15;64(2):203–210. doi: 10.1016/0009-8981(75)90202-8. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
- Hawkins R. A., Scott K. M., Yap P. L. Oestrogen receptor activity in human plasma. Lancet. 1976 Dec 4;2(7997):1251–1251. doi: 10.1016/s0140-6736(76)91185-5. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
- Jensen E. V., Block G. E., Smith S., Kyser K., DeSombre E. R. Estrogen receptors and breast cancer response to adrenalectomy. Natl Cancer Inst Monogr. 1971 Dec;34:55–70. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
- LOWRY O. H., ROSEBROUGH N. J., FARR A. L., RANDALL R. J. Protein measurement with the Folin phenol reagent. J Biol Chem. 1951 Nov;193(1):265–275. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
- Rosen P. P., Menendez-Botet C. J., Nisselbaum J. S., Urban J. A., Miké V., Fracchia A., Schwartz M. K. Pathological review of breast lesions analyzed for estrogen receptor protein. Cancer Res. 1975 Nov;35(11 Pt 1):3187–3194. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
- Teulings F. A., Blonk-van der Wijst J., Portengen H., Henkelman M. S., Treurniet R. E., van Gilse H. A. Quantitation of estrogen receptors in human breast cancer by agar gel electrophoresis. Clin Chim Acta. 1975 Oct 1;64(1):27–38. doi: 10.1016/0009-8981(75)90140-0. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
- Whitby L. G., Mitchell F. L., Moss D. W. Quality control in routine clinical chemistry. Adv Clin Chem. 1967;10:65–156. doi: 10.1016/s0065-2423(08)60112-2. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]