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Interferon‐β can induce progesterone receptors in human endometrial adenocarcinoma
Author(s) -
Codegoni Anna M.,
Landoni Fabio,
Lomonico Sebastiano,
Losa Giuseppe,
Mangioni Costantino,
Taverna Monica,
Lucchini Valeria,
D'Incalci Maurizio
Publication year - 1996
Publication title -
cancer
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 3.052
H-Index - 304
eISSN - 1097-0142
pISSN - 0008-543X
DOI - 10.1002/(sici)1097-0142(19960801)78:3<448::aid-cncr11>3.0.co;2-z
Subject(s) - medicine , endometrial cancer , receptor , progesterone receptor , endocrinology , estrogen receptor , beta (programming language) , estrogen , adenocarcinoma , cancer , breast cancer , computer science , programming language
BACKGROUND The induction of estrogen and progesterone receptors (ER and PGR) has been reported in breast and endometrial cancer cells exposed to human fibroblast interferon‐β (hIFN‐β). Clinical verification of this finding might provide the rationale for new therapeutic approaches. This study was designed to evaluate whether clinical treatment with high doses of hIFN‐β induced ER and PGR in patients with endometrial adenocarcinoma. METHODS Two biopsies were obtained, 1 before and 1 after hIFN‐β treatment (3 × 10 6 i.m. every other day for 3 weeks) from 36 patients with endometrial adenocarcinoma. ER and PGR were determined with standard procedures using radiolabeled ligands. RESULTS hIFN‐β treatment did not affect the proportion of ER‐positive (i.e., > 15 fmol/mg protein) or PGR‐positive (i.e., > 20 fmol/mg protein) cases. However, in patients with detectable ER and PGR at baseline, hIFN‐β raised the levels. Using a 35% difference before and after therapy as a cut‐off, 72 and 79% of cases had increases in ER and PGR, respectively. The difference was highly significant for PGR. CONCLUSIONS In patients with endometrial adenocarcinoma with undetectable ER or PGR, hIFN‐β did not induce the expression of these receptors. When the receptors were present they were upregulated by hIFN‐β. Whether this increase in receptor levels, particularly PGR, has therapeutic applications remains to be established. Cancer 1996;78:448‐53.