ESTROGEN AND PROGESTERONE RECEPTORS IN THYROID LESIONS

Background: Given the higher incidence and better prognosis of thyroid cancers in women, the possibility arises that these lesions may be in fluenced by sex hormones. With the development of monoclonal antibodie s to the estrogen and progesterone receptor proteins, receptor status can now be determined by immunohistochemical methods that allow direct localization of receptors in tissue. Methods: Using this technique, w e have studied tissues of 11 patients, 2 of them pregnant, with thyroi d lesions. Paraffin-embedded tissues were used. Positive controls cons isted of known estrogen- and progesterone-positive breast carcinomas. Results: Examination of both the thyroid lesions and adjacent uninvolv ed thyroid tissue showed no nuclear reactivity with either estrogen or progesterone receptor antibodies. Our study did not confirm the previ ously reported incidence of estrogen and progesterone receptors in thy roid lesions. Conclusions: We conclude that contrary to earlier indica tions, estrogen and progesterone receptor proteins are neither signifi cantly detectable nor pertinent for follow-up or prognosis in the pati ent with thyroid neoplasia.