[Estrogen receptors in breast cancer in women]

The estrogenic receptors in the cytoplasm of tumor cells obtained from histologically verified breast cancer in 377 women, 24 to 86 years of age, who had been operated and treated, were investigated. Of 200 women with positive estrogenic receptors in the tumor cells, 120 (60 per cent) were in postmenopause age and 80 (40 per cent) in premenopause age. Of 177 patients with negative estrogenic receptors, 95 (53.7 per cent) were in premenopause and 82 (46.3 per cent) in postmenopause age. The mean arithmetical value of the positive estrogenic receptors in patients in premenopause age was 69 +/- 6.04 fmol/mg protein and in those in postmenopause age--110.52 +/- 7.37 fmol/mg protein. Of 111 patients with positive estrogenic receptors in second clinical stage of cancer, 94 patients (84.7 per cent) survived and 17 (15.3 per cent) died. Of 73 patients in third clinical stage 59 (82.2 per cent) survived and 14 (17.8 per cent) died. Survival of patients with negative estrogenic receptors was lower: of 89 patients in second clinical stage 58 (65.2 per cent) survived and 31 (34.8 per cent) died; of 44 patients in third clinical stage 13 (34.1 per cent) survived and 31 (65.9 per cent) died.