[Value of detection of hormone receptors by biochemical and immunochemical methods in therapeutic decision for breast cancer].

Receptor assays for both ER and PR in breast cancer specimens is used either to choose adjuvant therapy during the first treatment, or to choose hormone therapy for metastatic patients, or for the diagnosis of tumors. Whereas biochemical methods, either by radioligand or by monoclonal antibodies, have progressed over the last 20 years, other methods such as immunohistochemistry are used now for receptor detection, and bring new data useful for patient therapy. This paper summarizes the qualities and pitfalls of these different methods, and shows that the use of data from both biochemical and histochemical methods can help the physician in therapeutic decisions.