Hormone receptors in human prostate cancer

The relative success with which the response of breast cancer to endocrine therapy can be predicted by assay of female sex steroid receptors has led to attempts to use measurement of androgen receptors in neoplastic prostate tissue for predicting the success of anti-androgen therapy in prostate cancer. Hitherto hopes have not been fulfilled. Androgen receptors are present in almost all prostate samples, but with inhomogeneous distribution. No relationship was found between androgen receptor levels in needle aspirate and prognosis in prostatic carcinoma. Receptors for oestrogen, progestin and prolactin were also studied for identification of possible prognostic indicators. Progestin receptors appear to be present in prostatic tissue. Lack of consensus regarding prostatic oestrogen and prolactin receptors is due partly to their low (if any) concentrations and partly to differing methodology and interpretation of results. Oestrogen, progestin and prolactin receptors seem to lack prognostic significance in prostatic cancer. These findings and the high initial response rate of prostatic carcinoma to endocrine therapy indicate that further studies should focus on elucidating how such tumours become hormone-independent.