The AA. refer about the assessment of a charcoal-dextran method for the determination of oestrogens receptors in human breast cancer. Corrections for low affinity binding components are performed measuring bound 3H-17 beta estradiol in the absence and presence of non-radioactive 17 beta estradiol or diethylstilbestrol; the method has been previously studied on samples from pregnant rabbit uterus and then applied on human mammary tumors. Results achieved with the routine-utilisation of the present method are reported.
PIP: It is well known that successful endocrinal treatment of cancer depends on the presence of specific hormone receptors in the cancerous cells. According to the most recent studies it appears that positive treatment would be possible in 6% of cases when there are no receptors, in 46% of cases with average concentration of receptors, and in 81% of cases with concentrations higher than 100 femtomoles/mg of proteins. This study reports on a new method of determination of estrogen receptors utilized in 57 cases of breast cancer. This new charcoal-dextran method, which has been previously tested on samples of pregnant rabbit uteri, measures bond H-17 beta estradiol in the absence and in the presence of nonradioactive 17 beta estradiol or diethylstilbestrol to determine corrections for low affinity binding components. This method appears to be rather precise; it is still possible, however, to overestimate or underrestimate the concentration of estrogen receptors. Routine application of this method is not easy, and needs to be perfected.