[Immunocytochemical detection of the estrogen receptor and lectin binding sites in tumor cell colonies growing in vitro].

Since it became clear that tumor cell colonies growing in soft agar are closely related to embryonic tumor cells, it has been possible to examine, with the aid of immunohistochemical methods, the behavior of estrogen receptors (ER) and lectin binding sites on those tumor components which determine malignant growth. With this aim in mind, 14 breast cancers, four ovarian cancers, and one corpus cancer with ER concentrations known from DCC studies were cultured in a colony assay. Using immunohistochemical techniques it was possible, after preparing permanent cultures, to demonstrate the estrogen receptors and lectin binding sites on the tumor cell colonies cultured in vitro.