[Prognostic importance of determining steroid hormone receptors in breast tumors]

The levels of receptors of estrogens, progesterone and glucocorticoids were measured in the cytosols of 400 breast tumors at early (242) and advanced (158) stage of development. No significant differences were found in the receptor status of tumor in cases of early and advanced stage, untreated before surgery. Preoperative chemo- and chemohormonotherapy resulted in a lower percentage of tumors containing all three types of receptors and a higher percentage of tumors in which neither of the three types of receptors were found. Radiation therapy produced a similar effect. Relapse was observed in 53 cases (13%) during a follow-up from 2 months to 3 years. Patients with tumors which contained estrogen receptors revealed a tendency for increased free interval, as compared with those in which receptors were not identified. This tendency was particularly pronounced in cases of advanced tumor, untreated before surgery.