RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN HORMONE-RECEPTOR LEVELS AND CELL-KINETICS IN HUMAN COLORECTAL-CANCER

Background: This study was done to determine the potential role of sex steroid hormone receptors in. the development of human colorectal can cer. Method: Receptors for estrogen (ER) and progesterone(PgR) were in vestigated in surgical specimens from 22 patients with colorectal canc er, using enzyme immunoassay. These values were examined in relation t o cell kinetics parameters determined by DNA flow cytometry. Results: ER and PgR were detected in 27% and 41%, respectively. There were no s ignificant differences in. the expression of ER or PgR according to th e age, sex of the patients, tumor size, location, histological differe ntiation and lymph node metastasis. Although ER status appeared to be independent of DNA parameters, there were better correlations of PgR-n egative tumors with increased hyperaneuploid levels. There were signif icantly higher values of heterogeneity index score in PgR-negative tum ors compared with PgR-positive tumors. In the multiple regression anal ysis, PgR levels proved to be a major independent factor for changes i n DNA index and heterogeneity index score. Conclusion: The PgR status is a critical factor for determining the proliferative activity of col orectal cancer tissue and may play a biological role in regulating the growth of the tumor.