[Determination of steroid hormone receptors with the biochemical DCC method in endometrial cancer and tumor margin-endometrium relations to cellular changes and hormone level].

In endometrial carcinoma and the surrounding marginal endometrium from 48 postmenopausal patients, the concentrations and dissociation constants of steroid hormone receptors were studied by the dextran-coated charcoal method (DCC), parallel to ploidy and morphology of tumour cell nuclei, grading, and the hormonal status. The results show, that the proportion of receptor-positive tumours is decreased in an advanced stage of disease. The mean receptor concentrations correlate both with nuclei parameters and the morphological results and reflect the process of dedifferentiation in the tumour centre. The higher receptor concentrations, especially the estradiol receptor concentration observed in the marginal endometrium, and the increased estradiol level in serum, demonstrate a raised tendency to proliferation in this region and could support the hypothesis, that a higher receptor level in adenomatous-hyperplastic tissues participates in tumour genesis. In patients with an advanced stage of the disease, determination of both receptors can yield indications for a purposeful adjuvant hormone therapy (anti-estrogen and/or gestagen), in addition to providing an aid to prognosis.