Two aids in oestrogen receptor characterisation

1. Eighty three breast carcinoma primary and metastatic lesions were submitted for oestrogen receptor (ER) assessment using a standard dextran coated charcoal saturation analysis (0.1 nM-0.8 nM tritiated oestradiol), as well as a single saturating dose (SSD) assay (8 nM tritiated oestradiol). Excellent correlation between the two methods was demonstrated. The single dose assay also provided additional information to aid the construction of ad equate Scatchard plots in those biopsies which exhibited high levels of specific receptor proteins. 2. Three hundred and fifteen consecutive breast carcinoma primary or metastatic lesions, assessed for ER, had imprint cytological examinations to verify the malignancy of the specimen. Seven per cent demonstrated sparse epithelial cellularity with a low or nil malignant cell proportion and showed a lower receptor positivity than the remaining specimens.