Relation of estrogen receptor expression in endometrial cancer specimens to bone mineral density.

BACKGROUND

To investigate the relation of estrogen and progesterone receptor (ER and PR) expression in endometrial cancer specimens to bone mineral density (BMD).

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Subjects were 48 postmenopausal women with endometrial cancer treated with hysterectomy. Baseline characteristics included age, years since menopause (YSM), height, weight, and body mass index (BMI). Lumbar spine BMD (L2-4), the ratio of trunk fat to leg fat mass (trunk-leg fat ratio), body fat mass, and the percentage of body fat were measured by dual-energy x-ray absorptiometry (DEXA). ER and PR expression in endometrial cancer specimens were determined immunohistochemically.

RESULTS

Of 48 women, 32 (66.7%) were ER/PR-positive, nine (18.8%) were ER/PR-negative, three (6.3%) were ER-positive/PR-negative, and four (8.3%) were ER-negative/PR-positive. Lumbar spine BMD and trunk-leg fat ratio were significantly higher in women with ER-positive than in those with ER-negative (p<0.05), but other variables did not differ between the two groups. BMD and baseline- and anthropometric characteristics did not differ between the two groups divided by the presence or absence of PR expression.

CONCLUSIONS

ER expression in endometrial cancer specimens is associated with higher lumbar spine BMD.