[Analysis of estradiol and progesterone receptors in meningioma]

65% of all intracranial meningiomas and 80% of the intraspinal ones are seen in women. Meningiomas often grow larger and present an increased incidence of clinical signs and symptoms during pregnancy and also in the luteal phase of the menstrual cycle. In this study the oestradiol and progesterone receptors were determined in 30 patients for the first time via the double ligand assay. In about 10% of the patients we found slight oestradiol receptor activity, whereas approx. 63% of the meningiomas examined had specific progesterone receptors. So far there has been no evidence of a definite dependence of receptor concentrations on the sex and age of the patients or on the pathohistology and site of the tumours. Results can be compared with the previously published data on oestradiol and progesterone receptors in meningiomas to a limited extent only, since different biochemical techniques have been employed and also since pre-operative glucocorticoid treatment has been different from study to study. However, we can safely assume that a specific progesterone receptor does exist. Since proliferation of meningiomas with high concentrations of circulating gestagens has been established, the occurrence of significant concentrations of progesterone receptors could imply therapeutic consequences (eg anti-gestagens) in a large proportion of tumours. We may neglect the clinical relevance of the oestradiol receptor because it occurs in low concentrations only. The epidemiological and clinical data on patients with meningiomas, as well as the existence of sex hormone receptors, may contribute to the development of a theory on the pathogenesis of this tumour.