[Hormone receptor determination in breast cancer using the dextran- coated charcoal method and monoclonal antibodies:...

In 129 cases, results from ER-ICA (Estrogen receptor immunocytochemical assay) applied to breast carcinoma biopsy smears and results from ER-EIA (Estrogen receptor enzyme immunoassay) applied to cytosols of breast carcinoma were compared to the results of ER(DCC), PR(DCC) and a cytomorphological grading. Using 500x magnification, the cases were graded visually in 7 groups, groups 1-4 without and groups 5-7 with nucleoli. Cases with high estrogen receptor values as determined by ER-EIA had the best chance of being detected also by the ER-ICA method. There is a relation between the visual nuclear grade from the Pappenheim stained specimens and ER-ICA and ER-EIA. The 48 cases without nucleoli had a mean ER-EIA-value of 100 fmol/mg (median = 59 fmol/mg). The 57 cases with nucleoli (groups 5-7) had a mean ER-EIA value of 37 fmol/mg (median = 14 fmol/mg). For 28 cases with prominent or multiple prominent nucleoli (groups 6-7) the mean ER-EIA value was only 15 fmol/mg (median = 5 fmol/mg). With increasing ER-EIA values we found decreasing average nuclear grades: 31 cases ER-EIA less than 10 fmol/mg, mean nuclear grade = 5.4; 34 cases ER-EIA greater than or equal to 10 less than 50 fmol/mg, mean nuclear grade = 4.6; 20 cases ER-EIA greater than or equal to 50 less than 100 fmol/mg, mean nuclear grade = 4.2; 19 cases ER-EIA greater than or equal to 100 fmol/mg, mean nuclear grade = 3.8. Our present data show clearly that there is a closer correlation of cytomorphology with ER-EIA than with ER(DCC) and PR(DCC). In the present study even ER-EIA alone correlated better with morphology than ER(DCC) and PR(DCC) taken together.