[Influence of steroid receptors content in primary breast cancer on early relapse pattern]

The early relapse pattern was followed in 165 operable breast cancer pts: 81 pts in stage I of the disease being without any adjuvant treatment, and 84 pts in stage II receiving systemic adjuvant chemo-, hormono-, or chemohormonal treatment, according to nodal status, histological grade of tumours and positivity of progesterone receptors (PR > 20 fmol/mg), as the functional parameter of primary tumour hormonodependency. The analyses of early relapses, occurring within the first 24 months, were based on quantitative oestrogen and progesterone receptor values, known as the prognostic and predictive factors for the early relapse pattern, and for the responce to adjuvant treatment. In stage I pts ER distribution showed lower values in pts with relapse, as compared to the group without relapse (0-115 vs. 0-464), and a tendency for relapse occurrence below the ER levels of 33 fmol/mg. Such a trend was not found for PR. In stage II pts a remarkable trend towards lower values of both receptors was observed in relapsed pts. A trend towards lower receptor values existed in both stages in pts with visceral metastases (ER = 0-50 fmol/mg, PR = 0-64 fmol/mg), while in those with bone metastases the receptor levels tended to be higher (ER = 0-1 15 fmol/mg, PR = 0-278 fmol/mg). Our results indicate the importance of steroid receptor status as a prognostic factor as well as its role in prediction of the localization of early relaps in operable breast cancer.