Relationship between nuclear DNA distribution and estrogen receptors in human mammary carcinomas.

The relationship between DNA distribution pattern and estrogen receptor (ER) content was investigated in primary mammary carcinomas from 56 female patients. The data showed that mammary carcinomas in which the DNA amounts of the tumor cells do not deviate conspicuously from diploid or tetraploid DNA values of normal mammary epithelium are characterized by high levels of ER. On the other hand, mammary carcinomas containing a sizable number of cells with DNA amounts in the normal DNA synthesis region or with high degrees of aneuploidy are distinguished by low or even unmeasurable ER levels. These results strongly indicate a correlation between nuclear DNA distribution patterns and ER levels in primary breast carcinomas.