Sex hormone binding and peritumoural oedema in meningiomas: is there a correlation?

Steroid receptor binding activity was evaluated in specimens of 28 human cerebral meningiomas using a dextran coated charcoal (DCC) assay. Oestrogen receptor (ER) binding activity at significant levels (greater than 10 fmol/mg protein) could be detected only in three postmenopausal females (11% positive cases) at low levels. Positive progesterone receptor (PR) binding was detected in eighteen of the twenty-eight analysed meningioma tissues (64% positive cases). A significantly higher level of PR in male than in female patients could be demonstrated. The degree of peritumoural oedema could be evaluated from CT scans. There was no significant correlation between lack and amount of peritumoural oedema and quantity of cytosolic PR binding activity. Therefore we conclude, that peritumoural oedema is related to other factors and a possible role of PR activity in development of peritumoural oedema and growth control of meningiomas could not be demonstrated.