DETECTION OF ESTROGEN AND PROGESTERONE-RECEPTOR EXPRESSION IN BREAST-TUMORS BY SEMIQUANTITATIVE PCR

Background: Estimation of oestrogen receptors (ER) and progesterone re ceptors (PgR) by dextran-coated charcoal (DCC) or immunohistochemical methods have become standard practices in the management of breast can cer. Materials and Methods: A ''multiplex'' polymer ase chain reaction (PCR) system was developed for quantitative estimation of ER and PgR mRNA in breast tumour specimens. Results: A statistically significant con elation could be found between the mRNA of the oestrogen and the p rogesterone receptor (p less than or equal to 0.0001). Protein data de fined in classes, compared with mRNA data showed a significant correla tion for the oestrogen receptor (p less than or equal to 0.0001) as we ll as for the progesterone receptor (p less than or equal to 0.046). C onclusion: Messenger RNA could be determined by the present PCR system in tumours assayed as negative by DCC method Therefore, this sensitiv e PCR procedure, which requires small amounts of material may be very useful as a diagnostic test to determine the choice of therapy.