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Estrogen receptors in 699 primary breast cancers: A comparison of immunohistochemical and biochemical methods

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Summary

Background: Over the last few years, estrogen receptor (ER) determination by immunohistochemistry (ER-ICA) has been extensively used, but it still remains to be established whether this method can replace the standard biochemical technique using dextran-coated charcoal (ERDCC).

Patients and methods: ER were determined by both the dextran-coated charcoal (DCC) method and immunohistochemistry (ICA) in 699 patients with primary breast cancer; other parameters (age, pathological T-pT- and nodal status -pN-, progesterone receptors by DCC, proliferative index by ICA) were also recorded. The ‘best’ cut-off for ERICA was evaluated by means of Receiver Operating Characteristics (R.O.C.) analysis; logistic regression analysis was used to find adequate ‘weights’ for stain intensity.

Results and conclusions: A significant correlation was found between the two methods (p < 0.001). R.O.C. analysis revealed that the ‘best’ cut-off for the ERICA score was 45% (sensitivity 0.810, specificity 0.804). Logistic regression analysis showed that an ERICA score which also considers staining intensity does not add any useful information concerning ER content in breast cancers.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Departments of Medical Oncology, University of Verona, Italy

    A. Molino, M. Turazza, L. Sperotto, A. Bonetti, R. Nortilli & G. L. Cetto

  2. Institute of Statistics, University of Trento, Italy

    R. Micciolo

  3. Departments of Pathology, University of Verona, Italy

    F. Bonetti, G. Martignoni, S. Rodella, P. Capelli & E. Manfrin

  4. Departments of Pathology, Civic Hospital of Verona, Italy

    Q. Piubello & G. Pelosi

  5. Laboratory, University of Verona, Italy

    A. Corgnati

  6. Civic Hospital, Negrar, Italy

    P. Castelli

Authors
  1. A. Molino
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  2. R. Micciolo
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  3. M. Turazza
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  4. F. Bonetti
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  5. Q. Piubello
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  6. A. Corgnati
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  7. L. Sperotto
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  8. G. Martignoni
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  9. A. Bonetti
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  10. R. Nortilli
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  11. P. Castelli
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  12. S. Rodella
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  13. P. Capelli
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  14. E. Manfrin
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  15. G. Pelosi
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  16. G. L. Cetto
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Molino, A., Micciolo, R., Turazza, M. et al. Estrogen receptors in 699 primary breast cancers: A comparison of immunohistochemical and biochemical methods. Breast Cancer Res Tr 34, 221–228 (1995). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00689713

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00689713

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