Objective: To estimate the value of estrogen receptor (ER) in benign breast diseases and to find out if the response of benign breast diseases to danazol depends on the ER status of the tissue.
Design: Prospective study.
Setting: University hospital, India.
Material: Samples of tissue from benign breast lesions, 40 fibrocystic disease and 10 fibroadenomas.
Interventions: Enzyme immunoassay for the presence of cytosolic ER.
Main outcome measures: ER concentrations, and correlation with effect of treatment with danazol.
Results: Fibrocystic disease and fibroadenomas showed 30% and 40% ER positivity, respectively. The mean (SD) ER concentration was significantly higher in premenopausal than postmenopausal patients 14.75 (3.79) fmol/mgm compared with 6.2 (1.59) fmol/mg (p < 0.05). All ten patients with mastalgia who had ER-positive lesions (n = 26) responded to danazol, compared with 6 of 16 patients who had ER-negative lesions (p < 0.05). Lesions with diffuse fibrosis (n = 14) and five with lymphocytic infiltration on histology were all ER-negative.
Conclusion: The patients with ER positive breast disease responded better to danazol than patients with ER negative breast disease.