[A study of DNA content in relation to histological type, ER and CEA in primary breast carcinoma]

The immunohistochemical technique (ABC and PAP methods) and microspectrophotometry were used separately to localize estrogen receptor (ER) and carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA) and to measure the DNA content in 44 cases of primary breast carcinoma. The results showed that (1) there was significant statistical difference in DNA content among most histological types of breast carcinoma (P less than 0.05); (2) the DNA content was inversely correlated with ER status (P less than 0.05) and positively with CEA (P less than 0.05) in breast cancer; (3) the mean values of DNA content and nuclear area were higher in patients survived more than 5 years than in those survived less than 5 years. It is suggested that the DNA content was roughly consistent with the grades of malignancy of the histological types of carcinoma, and the changes of DNA content not only affected the expression of ER and CEA but are also correlated with the refractoriness to hormone therapy in some patients with ER positive tumor.