Estradiol receptor activity in human breast cancer, disease free interval and survival time

Disease-free interval and survival time of breast cancer patients were investigated in regard to the estradiol receptor (ER) status as measured in the corresponding primary tumours. Disease-free interval and survival time of patients with ER positive breast cancers were found to be significantly longer than those of patients with ER negative tumours. The percentage of ER positive tumours in patients with finished free interval, or that died as a consequence of their disease, is lower than that found in an unselected material. The ER concentrations did not, however, differ significantly. Patients with ER positive breast cancers of stage IV did not survive longer than patients with ER negative tumours. No correlations could be found between disease-free interval and survival time of the patients, and the ER concentrations measured in their corresponding tumours individually. The menopausal status of the patients influenced the disease free interval regardless the ER status of the primary tumours. The survival time of postmenopausal patients with ER positive breast cancers were found to be significantly longer than that of premenopausal patients with ER negative cancers. The average ER concentration of breast cancers of postmenopausal patients with finished free interval is significantly higher than the valve found in cancers of premenopausal patients.