[Sex steroid hormone receptors in the cytosolic fraction of cancer and leukoplakia of the oral mucosa].

The paper deals with the studies of sexual steroidal hormone receptors in the tumor cytosolic fraction in 37 patients with squamous cell carcinoma and in 18 patients from leukoplakia foci in the oral mucosa. One or two types of androgen and estrogen receptors were detected in the tumor cytosolic fraction in most female (75%) and male (62%) patients with squamous cell carcinoma. The detection rate and the mean values of androgen and estrogen receptors in squamous cell carcinoma of the oral mucosa were associated with sex, age, disease stage, type of growth and site of a tumor. Detection and levels of androgen and estrogen receptors in the leukoplakia foci of the oral mucosa depended on the age of patients. Cytoplasmic estrogen receptors (50%) and oral mucosal squamous cell cancer (34.4%) were much more encountered in the foci of leukoplakia and their mean levels tended to increase. The mechanism of action of sexual steroids on normal and tumor target cells, the role of androgens and estrogens in the pathogenesis of oral mucosal carcinoma and leukoplakia, and possible methods of endocrine therapy for these diseases are discussed.