STEROID-RECEPTORS, PS2 AND CATHEPSIN-D IN EARLY CLINICALLY NODE-NEGATIVE BREAST-CANCER

Four oestrogen-regulated proteins of reported prognostic value, oestro gen receptor (ER), progesterone receptor (PR), pS2 and cathepsin D (Ca t IF), have been quantified by immunoassays, and the latter studied by immunohistochemistry (IHC) in primary tumours from clinically node-ne gative early breast cancer patients, entered into a trial of breast co nservation therapy in which all the patients received adjuvant tamoxif en. ER, PR and pS2 significantly co-correlated but none correlated wit h Cat D. ER, PR and pS2, but not Cat D, were significantly associated with tumour size and grade, although Cat D tended to show an inverse r elationship with the latter. Cat D (radioimmunoassay) in pmol/mg signi ficantly correlated with the IHC score for Cat D in carcinoma cells as well as the number of Cat IF-expressing macrophages. At a median foll ow-up of only 16 months, recurrence was significantly more common in p atients with tumours having negative status for ER, PR and pS2 but was not associated with Cat D status.