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Cytochemistry of sex steroid receptors: A critique

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Summary

A number of histochemical methods for sex steroid receptors, especially estrogen receptors, have been proposed to replace standard biochemical receptor methods used to predict hormone responsiveness in breast cancer. This discussion addresses a number of serious concerns as to whether these histochemical procedures do in fact adequately detect receptors in situ, and concludes that most of the observed results can be explained by Type II and Type III non-receptor binding. Until further studies are performed, it is not valid to consider the histochemical localization of binding in cancer specimens as indicating the presence of steroid receptor proteins.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Endocrine Oncology Laboratory, Departments of Pathology, Biochemistry, Medicine, and Surgery, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, North Carolina, USA

    K. S. McCarty Jr M.D., Ph.D., D. S. Reintgen M.D., H. F. Seigler M.D. & K. S. McCarty Sr. Ph.D.

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  1. K. S. McCarty Jr M.D., Ph.D.
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  2. D. S. Reintgen M.D.
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  3. H. F. Seigler M.D.
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Address for reprints: Dr. K.S. McCarty, Jr., Departments of Pathology and Medicine, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, NC 27710, USA.

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McCarty, K.S., Reintgen, D.S., Seigler, H.F. et al. Cytochemistry of sex steroid receptors: A critique. Breast Cancer Res Tr 1, 315–325 (1981). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01806747

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