Cytochemical Detection of Estrogen Receptors in Human Gliomas

Abstract

Cellular estrogen receptors in cryostat sections of human glioma tissue were determined in 34 patients by a histochemical method with 17β-estradiol-6-carboxymethyl oxime-bovine serum albumin-fluorescein isothiocyanate conjugate. Estrogen receptor protein was found in all cases of glioblastoma multiforme (7), anaplastic astrocytoma (5), benign astrocytoma (7), pilocytic astrocytoma (2), ependymoma (5), and a case of mixed oligodendroglioma, but in no cases of medulloblastoma (5) or pure oligodendroglioma (2). These findings suggest the possibility of hormone therapy for human glioma.