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A new assay to assess steroid‐hormone responsiveness in head and neck cancer
Author(s) -
Berg Nicholas J.,
Neel H. Bryan,
Weiland Louis H.,
Spelsberg Thomas C.
Publication year - 1987
Publication title -
the laryngoscope
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.181
H-Index - 148
eISSN - 1531-4995
pISSN - 0023-852X
DOI - 10.1288/00005537-198703000-00006
Subject(s) - steroid , hormone , steroid hormone , receptor , nuclear receptor , hormone receptor , steroid hormone receptor , population , cancer research , medicine , head and neck cancer , oncology , cancer , endocrinology , chemistry , breast cancer , estrogen receptor , biochemistry , gene , transcription factor , environmental health
A new assay has been developed to predict the effectiveness of steroid‐hormone therapy in various tumors. The Biopsy Nuclear Binding assay measures the amount of biologically active receptor that binds both steroid hormone and acceptor sites in the nucleus. This assay does not measure the entire receptor population, only those that are biologically active; therefore, it should more accurately predict the response to steroid‐hormone therapy. We applied this assay effectively in breast and endometrial carcinoma. Preliminary studies have shown that 40% of patients with head and neck squamous‐cell carcinomas have biologically active (nuclear bound) progesterone receptors. If nuclear binding predicts a remission with hormonal therapy, then the quality of life of appropriately selected patients could greatly improve.