Correlations between Expression of Estrogen and Androgen Receptors and the Clinical Characteristics of Prolactinoma

Abstract

Objective: To study the correlations between estrogen receptor (ER) and androgen receptor (AR) and the clinical presentations of prolactinoma and investigate the effect of ER and AR expression on the pathogenesis of prolactinoma in sexual difference. Methods: The clinical data of 30 patients who had undergone transsphenoidal operations in Tongji Hospital from December 2000 to December 2001 were reviewed retrospectively. The clinical information included sex, age, serum-prolactin, size, tumor invasiveness, history of use of bromocriptine and frequency of recurrence. In 20 out of the 30 patients, the ER and AR expression was detected by using immunohistochemistry method. With help of Chi-square test, the relationship between ER, AR and the clinical presentations was analyzed. Results: The statistical values revealed that there was no significant correlation between the ER and AR expression levels with the clinical presentations such as sex, age, tumor size or tumor invasiveness among the 20 patients studied (P>0.05). Conclusion: The expression of ER or AR is not influenced by the clinical data of prolactinoma such as sex, age, tumor diameter or extent of tumor invasiveness. The tumor is more aggressive in males than in females. In maroadenoma or tumor with hyperprolactineamia (>200 ng/mL) simple surgical treatment can't successfully cure the prolactinoma. Post-operative bromocriptine therapy can't be determined by the sex of the patients, but is greatly related to the tumor size and serum-prolactin level before operation.