Estrogen and Progesterone Receptor Expression and its Correlation with Various Clinicopathological Parameters in Ovarian Tumors

Background: This study evaluates estrogen and progesterone expressions in patients with ovarian tumors (both benign and malignant) and their correlation with various clinicopathological prognostic parameters. Receptors for estrogen and progesterone are predictive and prognostic markers of endometrial and breast cancers. However, their clinical significance in epithelial ovarian cancer is not clear due to conflicting data from only a few immunohistochemical studies available in the literature. Methods: The present study was conducted on 60 cases of ovarian tumors, 20 benign and 40 malignant. Estrogen and progesterone expressions were studied by immuno- histochemistry and correlated with various clinicopathological parameters such as, menopausal status, histological type, WHO grade and FIGO stage. Results: Out of 20 benign tumors the estrogen receptor was positive in 10 (50%) and progesterone receptor was positive in 14 (70%) tumors. In 40 malignant tumors, the estrogen receptor was positive in 13 (32.5%) and progesterone receptor was positive in 11 (27.5%) cases. There was statistically significant estrogen receptor expression observed in serous tumors (P=0.001). When compared with other clinico- pathological parameters, we noted a significant association between progesterone receptor expression and favorable prognostic parameters such as young age, benign tumors and early FIGO stage. Conclusion: There were variable expressions of the estrogen and progesterone receptors in ovarian tumors. Progesterone receptor expression was associated with favorable prognostic factors that included younger age, benign tumor and low FIGO stage. No such association was observed with estrogen receptor expression.