Prognostic significance of estrogen and progesterone receptors in epithelial ovarian cancer.

Estrogen and progesterone receptor assays were analyzed from epithelial ovarian cancer in 123 patients to determine the prognostic significance of receptor results. In 110 (89%), assays were performed at diagnosis and in 13, assays were performed after previous therapy. Estrogen receptor determinations were positive (above 10 fmol/mg) in 75 cases (61%), progesterone receptor determinations were positive (above 3 fmol/mg) in 35 (28%), and both were positive in 20 (16%). Progesterone receptors were more frequently positive (53%) in tumors of endometrioid histology than with other histologic types (P = .01). Thirty-one subjects had a second assay; estrogen receptors were positive in 16 cases (52%), progesterone receptors were positive in five (17%), and both were positive in five (17%). Synchronous and metachronous assays were in agreement in 60-79% of the cases. By multivariate analysis, positive estrogen receptor, progesterone receptor, or both did not predict response to chemotherapy, negative second-look findings, or survival. Thirty-one women received hormonal therapy; one of 26 evaluable subjects had a partial response and four (13%) maintained stable disease for at least 6 months (6-21 months). Positive receptors did not predict hormonal response or disease stabilization.