British Journal of Surgery 1983-08-01

Fluorescent cytochemical oestrogen receptor assay: is it valid in breast cancer?

C M Furnival, K C Chong, L R Watson, A Visona

Index: Br. J. Surg. 70(8) , 457-9, (1983)

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Abstract

The performance of a fluorescent cytochemical oestrogen receptor (ER) assay has been compared with an established dextran-coated charcoal ER assay in 85 cases of primary breast cancer. Both assays were performed on tissue samples from the same tumour, by independent observers in different laboratories. A good qualitative correlation between the two methods was found, with agreement in 92 per cent of cases (P less than 0.0005). Criticisms of the fluorescein-labelled oestrogen methods are discussed. It is concluded that such methods should be validated in each laboratory by comparison with a conventional, quantitative ER assay before being used for clinical decisions.