Cytoplasmic and nuclear estrogen and progesterone receptors in male breast cancer.

Cytoplasmic estrogen receptors were detected in 12 of 13 male breast cancer tumors. There was no significant correlation of receptor levels with the age of the patient, size and histological grading of the tumor, and stage and nodal involvement of the disease. Nuclear estrogen receptors were found in eight of 10 tumors and six of nine patients had tumors positive for cytoplasmic progesterone receptors, two of which were also found to contain nuclear progesterone receptors. The presence of cytoplasmic progesterone receptors, in addition to cytoplasmic and nuclear estrogen receptors, may be indicative of truly hormone-dependent tumors in male breast cancer. Treatment offered to patients included surgery, X-ray therapy, chemotherapy, and orchiectomy, but as yet, no general conclusions of the efficacy of the therapeutic regime can be drawn.