[Relation between estrogen receptors and the clinical morphological characteristics of primary breast cancer]

Clinico-morphological and biochemical analysis of 139 observations of primary mammary gland carcinomas showed the majority of the tumors to be receptor-positive (72%), the tumors with estradiol receptors (ER) being prevalent in the group of patients with menopause (81%). Correlation of the presence of ER with the histological form of carcinoma and degree of its malignancy revealed no relationship between these parameters. In the group of ER-containing tumors, high and poorly differentiated forms of carcinoma were found with similar frequency. Among 8 observations of progressing disease 7 tumors contained ER and were of the II and III degree of malignancy. Thus, the leading factors in the prognosis are still clinical and morphological data on the degree of tumor spread irrespective of the ER presence in it. Further studies will demonstrate more clearly the clinical significance of ER presence in the tumor in patients with mammary gland carcinoma.