Colorectal carcinomas: Clinicopathologic investigation, correlation with expression of estrogen and progesterone receptors

Correlation in mortality data between breast cancer and colonic cancer, and increased incidence of colonic cancer in women with breast cancer suggest common factors in their etiology. Similarly protective effect of increasing parity from colonic cancer, and relatively better prognosis in women may imply a common role for sex steroid hormones. In this study clinicopathologic parameters as well as estrogen and progesterone receptor expressions of 60 cases of colorectal adenocarcinoma were investigated. Most carcinomas were moderately differentiated; stage B2 tumors were predominately located in the rectosigmoid area. Immunohistochemically, no nuclear staining was demonstrated for estrogen or progesterone receptors; only six displayed cytoplasmic staining with estrogen receptor. Although potential importance of estrogen and progesterone receptors has been emphasized by certain reports, its importance is still controversial in terms of both prognosis and management. Moreover, it is unclear whether to exclude cytoplasmic staining. The significance of these receptors in colorectal carcinoma needs to be further studied. [Turk J Cancer 2008;38(3):118-122]