Bone mineral content and estrogen receptors in women with breast tumors

The investigation was carried out to elucidate a possible relationship between the amount of estrogen receptors and bone mineral content in patients with breast tumors. Bone mineral content (BMC) was measured by photon absorptiometry in the distal forearm of 54 women with untreated breast carcinoma and 19 with benign breast tumor. The concentration of unoccupied high affinity estrogen receptors was measured in breast tumor biopsy specimens. Higher values of BMC were found in the total group of estrogen receptor-positive patients with breast carcinoma compared with estrogen receptor-negative patients, but not after dividing the patients into smaller groups according to age. No significant correlation could be seen between the amount of estrogen receptors and bone mineral content. In conclusion the present study could not support a relationship between the amount of estrogen receptors in breast cancer tissue and the amount of bone mineral and bone mass in women with breast tumors.