ABSTRACT
OBJECTIVES: To evaluate the immunohistochemical expression of estrogen receptors (ER) and progesterone receptors (PR) in colorectal adenoma and adenocarcinoma and to correlate this immunohistochemical expression with different clinicopathological parameters. METHODS: The study was retrospectively designed. A total of 86 tissue samples, including 33 paraffin blocks from patients with colorectal adenomas, 33 paraffin blocks from patients with colorectal adenocarcinomas and a control group of 20 samples of non-tumorous colonic tissue, were included in the study. RESULTS: The frequency of expression of ER and PR showed a gradual increase from control through adenoma to carcinoma. The frequencies of expression of ER in the control, adenoma and carcinoma were (10%, 15.15% and 42.42% respectively, p<0.001), while the frequency of expression for PR were (10%, 24.24% and 36.36% respectively, p<0.001). Strong ER and PR staining was mainly seen in carcinoma cases (42.42%, 36.36%, respectively) in comparison with adenoma (9.09%, 15.15%, respectively) and control (0%, 0%, respectively). The three digital parameters of ER and PR immunohistochemical expression (Area [A], Number of objects [N], and intensity [I]) were significantly increased in a sequence of normal mucosa-adenoma-carcinoma. There was a significant positive correlation between ER and PR in adenoma (r=0.312, p=0.034) and carcinoma (r=0.321, p=0.0398). CONCLUSION: ER and PR expression increased in a sequence of; normal colonic mucosa-adenoma-carcinoma, and a positive correlation was observed between ER and PR expression in colonic adenoma and carcinoma specimen indicating that ER and PR may play a role in colorectal carcinogenesis.
