RESUMO
<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To investigate estrogen receptor (ER) expression and the effects of anti-estrogen therapy on the prognosis of colorectal carcinoma.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>ER was measured in fresh colorectal cancer tissues by Dextran-coated charcoal (DCC) assay. The relationships between ER expression and clinicopathological parameters in colorectal cancer were analyzed. Tamoxifen was administrated postoperatively as adjuvant treatment.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>The positive rate of ER in colorectal tumor tissues was 37.0%. The 5-year survival rates of tamoxifen group and control group were 66.7% and 72.5% respectively, and there was no significant difference between the two groups. The distant metastasis rate of Tamoxifen group was significantly lower than that of control group (3% versus 20%).</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>Some colorectal carcinomas are hormone-dependent tumors, and anti-estrogen therapy has no effect on them.</p>