Estrogen Receptor Analysis on Fine Needle Aspirates from Human Breast Carcinoma

Abstract

The concentration of estrogen receptor protein (ER) in breast carcinoma is a useful indicator of the likelihood of response to endocrine therapy [3]. A correlation between low receptor values and early recurrence of the carcinoma has also been shown [7]. In most centers the ER analysis is performed on surgically removed tumor specimens. However, in many patients with inoperable or recurrent carcinoma, surgical specimens for ER determinations are not readily available, and after preoperative irradiation ER determination is unreliable as the primary tumor often undergoes advanced degenerative changes or totally disappears [6]. In such cases ER determination on fine needle aspirates could be a method of choice. Two earlier reports based on a small number of patients [4, 5] indicated that reproducible ER levels may be obtained from analysis of fine needle aspirates from breast carcinoma. The present study of 168 patients examines the results of ER analysis on fine needle aspirates collected from patients with primary or recurrent breast carcinoma prior to surgery. For comparison, analysis was also performed on histologic tissue material after surgical biopsy or mastectomy.