Oestrogen receptor protein in breast cancer: a local study

An assay using charcoal adsorption to separate bound oestradiol from free oestradiol has been set up to study the oestrogen receptor (ER) status of patients with all stages of breast carcinoma. The specificity of the oestradiol uptake was checked by competitive pre-incubation with anti-oestrogens and non radioactive oestradiol. Eighty-three of 137 (61%) primary breast lesions and 42 of 103 (41%) metastatic lesions studied had a (positive) oestradiol binding capacity. Such results are congruous in respect of age groups and receptor status with other published data.