[Methods of detection and quantification of hormone receptors in breast cancer]

This article reviews the problems inherent to the detection and assay of steroid hormone receptors in human target tissues and in pathological tissues. The biochemical characteristics of the hormone-receptor interaction are described, i.e., high affinity, strict specificity and limited number of binding sites. The calculation of these parameters is given. This is followed by an analysis of the practical problems involved in biochemical assays: (a) receptor protein stabilization, choice and concentration of radioligand, determination of incubation conditions (time and temperature) for the measurement of the number of binding sites in an exchange assay; (b) the various methods of separating bound from free steroid are discussed and their respective advantages and disadvantages as routine methods as opposed to research techniques are probed. The case of receptor determinations in human pathological tissues is analysed next with special emphasis on sample preparation, stabilization, storage and transport and also on plasma contamination and tissue heterogeneity. The various methods that can be used to detect steroid binding sites in pathological tissues are described: (i) biochemical techniques, (ii) autoradiography, (iii) histochemistry, in order to highlight their respective merits for the selection of hormone-sensitive pathological tissues.