The histopathological evaluation of human breast cancers in correlation with estrogen receptor values

Abstract

A detailed histopathological review of 140 primary breast cancers analyzed for estrogen receptor protein (ERP) was carried out and a variety of morphological features correlated with ERP results. ERP in cytosols was incubated with [3H]estradiol in the presence and absence of cold estradiol and assayed by agargel electrophoresis. Tumors binding greater than 10 fmol estradiol/mg tissue protein were classified as receptor-positive. Seventy-seven percent of the 116 infiltrating duct carcinomas were ERP-positive. The well-differentiated tumors of this group had a higher incidence of ERP-positivity than the poorly differentiated ones. The ten predominantly or exclusively intraductal carcinomas and the seven medullary tumors were less frequently positive than the main group of infiltrating ductal cancers. The three colloid, two tubular, and two lobular carcinomas in this series were all ERP-positive. When receptor measurements are evaluated, consideration should be given to the degree of differentiation and the histological type of tumor, in addition to other factors known to influence receptor levels such as menopausal status and seasonal variation.

Histopathologic characterization of human breast cancer in correlation with estrogen receptor status.A comparison of immunocytochemical and biochemical analysis

“…'-~ In some studies a relationship between histologic tumor grade and ER status was r e p~r t e d .~.~.~' ' In other investigations into these factors no such relationships could be demonstrated. 1 * 8~1 2~1 3 The discrepancies may, in part, be the result of different methods of biochemical ER assay. Other reasons for the discrepancies may also be differences in evaluation and terminology, and variations of histopathologic features within a tumor.I3…”

“…The degree of positivity in all ER-ICA-positive specimens was graded by a semiquantitative approach as described." Briefly, staining intensity was scored as (1) low, (2) intermediate, and (3) high. Heterogeneity was defined as the proportion of positively stained tumor cells.…”

Inhibitory effects of iron on bone morphogenetic protein 2–induced osteoblastogenesis

“…The concentration of E2 in the premenopausal model was set at 500 pg/mL, equivalent to the premenopausal levels. (13) Levels of ferritin in the postmenopausal model were equal to those in medium containing 10% serum (or 20 ng/mL of ferritin), given that the physiologic upper limit of serum ferritin is 200 ng/mL. Transferrin (Tf) at 5 mg/mL was added in its wholly unsaturated form (apo-Tf) or its fully 100% iron saturated form (holo-Tf) to the pre-and postmenopausal models, respectively.…”

Multiple mechanisms of estrogen receptor gene repression contribute to ER-negative breast cancer

“…Two opposing models have been advanced to account for ERpositive and -negative tumors. 2 The two-stage model proposes that ERpositive and -negative tumors represent different stages in the breast cancer disease process, that is, breast cancers are initially ER positive and lose their hormone dependence through clonal evolution, resulting in ER-negativity. The second model proposes that the receptor status is a fundamental characteristic of each tumor, not a marker of the degree of differentiation of the tumor cells.…”