Progesterone receptors in advanced breast cancer.

Progesterone receptor (PR) assay was performed on tumor specimen obtained from 145 women consisting of 82 women with advanced breast cancer and 73 women with early breast cancer (EBC). Advanced breast cancer patients consisted of 50 (61%) of 82 women with advanced primary breast cancer (APBC) and 32 (39%) women with recurrent or secondary breast cancer (SBC). Of 82 advanced breast cancer, 35 (42.7%) were PR+. These consisted of 21 APBC and 14 SBC patients. 43 (59%) of 73 EBC patients had PR+ tumors. Quantitative value of PR correlated with age in overall and in all groups. There was also a significant difference in PR quantitative value between PR+ tumors and PR- tumors. Finally premenopausal APBC patients with PR+ tumors had a 2:1 survival advantage over those with PR- tumors. PR assay is as an invaluable a tool as ER assay in the management of breast cancer.