Relationship between oestrogen-receptor content and histological grade in human primary breast tumours

Abstract
A series of 300 patients presenting consecutively with primary operable breast cancer has been studied. A significant correlation was found between oestrogen-receptor (ER) content and histological grade: the better-differentiated tumours rarely lacked receptor. This correlation was significant only in women defined as post-menopausal. Data on early recurrence of disease indicate a worse prognosis for women in whom primary tumours are ER-.