Soluble and nuclear oestrogen receptor status of advanced endometrial cancer in relation to subsequent clinical prognosis

Both soluble and nuclear oestrogen receptors have been measured in at least two separate sections from 72 endometrial cancers and 12 normal endometria. Concentration of oestrogen receptor is shown to be, in our hands, more meaningful when expressed per unit DNA than per unit protein, whether for soluble or nuclear receptor. Endometrial cancer cells from the central part of the tumour are shown to be receptor negative more frequently than those from peripheral tumour. Thus, in large cancers, biopsies from different areas are required before a tumour can be correctly designated as receptor positive, heterogeneous or receptor negative. The intratumoral variation of receptor status may relate t…