SEX-STEROID HORMONE RECEPTORS IN HUMAN MEDULLARY-THYROID CARCINOMA

Three complementary techniques were used to detect sex-steroid hormone receptors in tumor tissues from seven patients with medullary thyroid carcinoma: steroid binding analysis, enzyme immune assay, and immunoh istochemistry. The presence of estrogen receptors was detected by ster oid binding analysis in one of seven patients, although in very low co ncentrations (3.17 to 5.06 fmol/mg protein). These results were confir med by enzyme immune assay (6.35 to 9.32 fmol/mg protein), Progesteron e receptors were found in five of seven patients by steroid binding an alysis (11.1 to 47.9 fmol/mg protein), and progesterone receptor resul ts were confirmed by enzyme immune assay (8.1 to 34.1 fmol/mg protein) . By immunohistochemistry, progesterone receptors were focally detecte d in all cases, whereas all tumors were negative for estrogen receptor s. In summary, our results confirm the presence of sex-steroid hormone receptors, particularly progesterone receptors in medullary thyroid c arcinoma. The presence of progesterone receptors in medullary thyroid carcinoma apparently does not require the continuous presence of estro gen receptors.