Correlation between steroid hormone receptors, histological and clinical parameters in ovarian carcinoma

Estrogen (ER) and progesterone (PR) receptors in ovarian tumors of 62 patients (51 carcinomas, 11 benign tumors) were estimated by the dextran-coated charcoal method using Scatchard plot analyses. 63% of carcinomas were ER-positive (greater than 10 fmol/mg cytosol), 38% were PR-positive (greater than 25 fmol/mg cytosol), whereas in benign tumors only 45% were ER-positive and 36% were PR-positive. We found no statistically significant correlation between receptor content and stage of disease, menopausal status or age of the patient. The highest concentration of ER and PR was observed in patients between 61 and 70 years of age. Life table analysis for patients with advanced ovarian carcinomas showed no significant difference in survival time in the group with higher ER and PR content. This study also reports the results obtained in a group of patients with receptor-positive ovarian carcinomas treated with a combination of chemotherapy and antiestrogen therapy. In comparison to treatment with cytotoxic chemotherapy alone, no significant difference in the time of survival or duration of remission could be found.