What does it mean if my report mentions “estrogen receptor (ER)” or “progesterone receptor (PR)”?
ER and PR are special tests that the pathologist does that are important in predicting response of the cancer to certain types of therapy. Women have circulating estrogen and progesterone in their blood, and some cancers might grow more readily if the circulating estrogen and progesterone attach to these receptors. If these receptors are present in the cancer, your treating physician may explore with you the possibility of using drugs that block these receptors. Results for ER and PR are reported separately and can be reported in different ways: 1) negative, weakly positive, positive; 2) percent positive; 3) percent positive and whether the staining is weak, moderate, or strong. How the results of your tests will affect your therapy is best discussed with your treating physician.
Related Questions
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