Laryngeal carcinoma and estrogen receptor analysis in patients after long-term follow-up.

Limitations in determining the progress and treatment of malignant diseases have prompted the investigation of new factors. Many molecules including estrogen receptors have been studied in an effort to understand the biological behavior of a tumor. To determine the effect of estrogen on laryngeal malignant cells, we analyzed the clinical findings of patients during long-term follow-up and compared these with the expression of estrogen receptors (ER). Fresh tissue samples from 30 patients with laryngeal carcinomas were analyzed for ER by a cytochemical method. Seven patients (23.3%) were found to be ER+. Advanced stages of the disease in patients with supraglottic tumors were found to be significantly ER-. While all patients were still alive for > or = 4 years in the ER+ group, two patients were dead due to primary tumor in the ER- group. Although the results of this study suggest that ER may play a role in determining the prognosis of disease in certain cases, further studies with larger series are needed before ER can be accepted as a prognostic marker.