Receptors for epidermal growth factor and sex steroid hormones in human colorectal carcinomas.

Iodinated epidermal growth factor was used to identify its specific receptor in 32 human colorectal carcinomas. The receptor was found in 25% of the tumors with values between 6.9 - 104.0 fmoles/mg DNA. Receptors for estrogen and progesterone were detected in 45 and 25% of the tumors respectively. No correlation was observed between short term survival and content of receptors for sex steroid hormones. Four of the 8 patients with detectable levels of epidermal growth factor receptor had experienced relapse.