Abstract
Association between hormonal receptors expression and cell proliferation in the breast tissue is still controversial. We studied the quantitative estrogen receptor (ER) and progesterone receptor (PR) content of the breast epithelium in different benign lesions of 138 women who underwent breast biopsy with benign result.
Benign breast lesions were divided according to criteria of proliferation activity to: nonproliferative lesions, proliferative lesions without atypia, atypical hyperplasia and most common entity - fibroadenoma. Evaluation of hormonal receptors was performed by Amersham's cytosolic saturation analysis with 3H radioligand.
We documented the significant difference of hormonal receptor concentrations with dependence on proliferative activity of the breast lesion. Our data show that atypical hyperplasia of the breast was associated with high ER and PR content and with trend to prevalence of ER.
This event should be evaluated as a marker of increased breast cancer risk. Based on hormonal receptor concentrations the suitable hormonal therapy may be selected to inhibit the breast lesion proliferative potential.