Is there a role for estrogen and progesterone receptors in gall bladder cancer?
Authors: Shukla, P.J.1; Barreto, S.G.1; Gupta, P.1; Neve, R.1; Ramadwar, M.2; Deodhar, K.2; Mehta, S.3; Shrikhande, S.V.1; Mohandas, K.M.3
Source: Hpb, Volume 9, Number 4, 2007 , pp. 285-288(4)
Publisher: Taylor and Francis Ltd
Abstract:
Background/Aims. The concept of metaplastic and non-metaplastic types of gall bladder cancer and the likelihood of hormone receptor expression in the nuclei of tumour cells raised the possibility of a potential role for anti-estrogen therapy in gall bladder cancer. This study was carried out to determine the hormone receptors (ER/PR) expression level in gall bladder cancer using specific immunohistochemical assays and correlate it with patient and tumour histopathological characteristics. Patients and methods. Histopathological tumour specimens of 62 patients who underwent a radical cholecystectomy were analysed. Pronase pretreatment and primary monoclonal antibodies were used to perform immunohistochemical analysis for ER and PR. Results. The histology was adenocarcinoma - predominantly, moderately to poorly differentiated (91%). Gallstones were present in 90% of the individuals. Of the 62 specimens analysed, 62 (100%) and 61 (98%) were negative for ER and PR, respectively. Conclusion. The high incidence of gallstone-related gall bladder cancer in India is associated with metaplasia and a tendency to poorer differentiation in the tumour histology. These tumours are consequently less likely to express hormone receptors. Thus, there does not seem to be a role for anti-hormone therapy in patients with histogenesis similar to that seen in India.Keywords: gall bladder cancer; immunohistochemistry; estrogen receptor; progesterone receptor
Document Type: Research article
DOI: 10.1080/13651820701481489
Affiliations: 1: Department of Gastrointestinal and Hepatopancreatobiliary Surgical Oncology, Tata Memorial Hospital, Mumbai, India 2: Department of Pathology, Tata Memorial Hospital, Mumbai, India 3: Department of Digestive Diseases and Clinical Nutrition, Tata Memorial Hospital, Mumbai, India

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