Immunocytochemical localization of oestrogen and progesterone receptors in primary adenocarcinoma of the cervix.

Archival material from 47 primary invasive adenocarcinomas of the uterine cervix was examined using an immunocytochemical technique for detection of oestrogen receptor and progesterone receptor in paraffin-wax embedded tissues. Immunostaining for oestrogen receptor was noted within tumour cells in 12 cervical adenocarcinomas while 13 tumours contained progesterone receptor. Eleven cervical adenocarcinomas expressed both oestrogen and progesterone receptor simultaneously. There was no association between steroid receptor status and major histological subtype, grade of tumour, clinical stage or age of patient at presentation. However, oestrogen receptor immunoreactivity was associated with disease-free survival. This preliminary study raises the possibility that, as in breast carcinoma, steroid receptor status may be a useful prognostic factor in adenocarcinoma of the cervix.