Is there a role for estrogen and progesterone receptors in gall bladder cancer?

Abstract

BACKGROUND/AIMS:

The concept of metaplastic and non-metaplastic types of gall bladder cancer and the likelihood of hormone receptor expression in the nuclei of tumour cells raised the possibility of a potential role for anti-estrogen therapy in gall bladder cancer. This study was carried out to determine the hormone receptors (ER/PR) expression level in gall bladder cancer using specific immunohistochemical assays and correlate it with patient and tumour histopathological characteristics.

PATIENTS AND METHODS:

Histopathological tumour specimens of 62 patients who underwent a radical cholecystectomy were analysed. Pronase pretreatment and primary monoclonal antibodies were used to perform immunohistochemical analysis for ER and PR.

RESULTS:

The histology was adenocarcinoma--predominantly, moderately to poorly differentiated (91%). Gallstones were present in 90% of the individuals. Of the 62 specimens analysed, 62 (100%) and 61 (98%) were negative for ER and PR, respectively.

CONCLUSION:

The high incidence of gallstone-related gall bladder cancer in India is associated with metaplasia and a tendency to poorer differentiation in the tumour histology. These tumours are consequently less likely to express hormone receptors. Thus, there does not seem to be a role for anti-hormone therapy in patients with histogenesis similar to that seen in India.

• Authors: P J Shukla, S G Barreto, P Gupta, R Neve, M Ramadwar, K Deodhar, S Mehta, S V Shrikhande, K M Mohandas
• Journal: HPB : the official journal of the International Hepato Pancreato Biliary Association (HPB (Oxford)) Vol. 9 Issue 4 Pg. 285-8 ( 2007) ISSN: 1365-182X [Print] England
• PMID: 18345306 (Publication Type: Journal Article)