PERSISTENCE AND DISTRIBUTION OF ESTROGEN-RECEPTOR IN ADVANCED EPITHELIAL OVARIAN-CARCINOMA AFTER CHEMOTHERAPY

  • 1 January 1985
    • journal article
    • research article
    • Vol. 65  (2) , 257-263
Abstract
Estrogen receptor in tumor cytosol extracts from primary ovarian adenocarcinomas and/or from their metastatic foci was measured for determination of whether or not estrogen receptor content was preserved after chemotherapy. Tumor tissue was analyzed from 36 patients who had not received chemotherapy and from 16 patients after varying periods of chemotherapy. The percentages of relatively estrogen receptor-rich tumors (with > 35 fmol estrogen receptor/mg soluble protein, or with > 1200 fmol estrogen receptor/g tissue wet wt) were similar in the 2 groups (31 and 37%). In 3 of 4 patients who had specimens analyzed before and after chemotherapy, there was little difference between the levels of estrogen receptor in the initial sample and in samples taken after 10-32 mo. of chemotherapy. In 1 patient, a decrease in the amount of receptor after chemotherapy appeared to be related to the sampling technique used. There was no discernible effect of treatment of the prevalence or amount or estrogen receptor in metastases. No correlation was observed between estrogen receptor levels and the histologic type or grade of the tumor or the patients'' survival. Chemotherapy probably had little effect on measurable receptor levels in ovarian epithelial carcinomas. When present in 1 tumor site, receptor can be expected to be present in a majority of other sites in the same patient.