Formaldehyde-fluorescamine-induced fluorescence of mammary carcinoma cells. Lack of concordance with occurrence of oestrogen-binding receptor proteins.

The combined formaldehyde-fluorescamine technique demonstrates fluorescence by mammary carcinoma cells whereas cells of the normal gland or of benign tumours do not show fluorescence. We have studied the correlation between histological staging of the disease, concentrations of oestrogen-binding proteins and the occurrence of formaldehyde-fluorescamine (FF)-inducible fluorescence. Our results demonstrate that the FF-technique detects all types of mammary carcinoma cells irrespective of their concentration of oestrogen receptors. Hence, the FF-technique represents a valuable tool for detecting both hormone-responsive and hormone-unresponsive malignant cells of the mammary gland.