Estrogen receptors in hepatocellular carcinoma: is endocrine therapy for hepatocellular carcinoma likely to be effective?

Specimens of human liver obtained at the time of operation were assayed for cytosolic estrogen receptors by the binding assay and enzyme immunoassay (EIA). Mean estrogen receptor contents determined by the binding assay were 17.8 fmol/mg protein in non-cirrhotic liver, 7.1 in cirrhotic liver, and 0.7 in hepatocellular carcinoma, by EIA the contents were 12.1, 5.9, and 0.8 fmol/mg protein, respectively. There were significant differences among the three groups. In particular, hepatocellular carcinoma specimens contained very little or no detectable amounts of estrogen receptors in either assay. The correlation between the estrogen receptor content determined by the binding assay and that determined by EIA was significant (r = 0.822, p less than 0.001). It is suggested that the estrogen receptor content decreases with the development of liver cirrhosis and hepatocellular carcinoma and that antiestrogen endocrine therapy for hepatocellular carcinoma may be ineffective.