Correlation between the growth of uterine leiomyomata and estrogen and progesterone receptor content in needle biopsy specimens.

OBJECTIVE

To examine the relationship between estrogen receptor (ER) and progesterone receptor (PR) content in needle biopsy specimens and the growth of uterine leiomyomata after biopsy.

DESIGN

Prospective clinical study.

SETTING

University teaching hospital.

PATIENT(S): Thirty-one women with uterine leiomyomata and a normal menstrual cycle.

INTERVENTION(S): Transcervical needle biopsy of uterine leiomyomata.

MAIN OUTCOME MEASURE(S): The relationships between histologic features (smooth muscle content, immunohistochemical expression of ER and PR) and the percent increase over a 12-month observation period in the volume of the largest myoma nodule measured by magnetic resonance imaging were analyzed.

RESULT(S): Both the density and intensity of immunohistochemical staining of PRs in uterine leiomyoma tissue showed significant positive correlation with leiomyoma growth.

CONCLUSION(S): The growth of uterine leiomyomata can be determined by histologic and immunohistochemical analysis of needle biopsy specimens from uterine leiomyomata.