Hormone-receptor assays in breast cancer. A five-year experience

Over a five-year period, from 1976 to 1981, hormone-receptor assays were performed in breast cancer specimens from 1868 women and 10 men. Oestrogen, progesterone, and androgen receptor results were distributed from zero to high levels without any clear separation into identifiable groups, which suggests that the division of results into negative and positive is an arbitrary one. The number of positive results increased significantly during the course of the study, probably due to improved tissue handling and increasing experience with assays. Over-all results showed that 61% of primary breast cancers in women compared with only 49% of secondary cancers gave positive results for oestrogen receptor. The incidence of progesterone and androgen receptors was also higher in primary cancers than in secondary cancers. In women with primary cancers, 72% of cancers were women with primary cancers, 72% of cancers were oestrogen-receptor positive in women after menopause, whereas in those before menopause only 48% were positive. Oestrogen receptor was detected in nine out of 10 male breast cancers.