[Estrogen and progresterone receptors in male breast diseases]

The authors study estrogen (RE) and progestogen (RP) receptors by an exchange technique in 8 cases of male breast carcinoma and 7 cases of gynaecomastia. Tumours are considered receptor positive when the binding sites concentration exceeds 100 fmol/g tissue. Using this as a base all the carcinoma are RE+ and 7/8 are RP+. Gynecomastia are always RE- and RP- except for one case which is RP+. RE and RP levels are correlated with the degree of differentiation of the carcinoma, as determined histologically.