Abstract

We assessed the expression of estrogen receptors (ER)α and ERβ in 114 human endometrial hyperplasia and adenocarcinomas. The aim of this study was to determine the expression of both ER isoforms in human endometrial tissue by immunohistochemistry. From normal proliferation to simple and complex hyperplasia, the expression of ERα was increased (P < 0.05), while ERβ did not change much (P > 0.05). In atypia hyperplasia and adenocarcinoma, both ERα and ERβ were decreased significantly (P < 0.05). Most endometrial adenocarcinomas expressed ERα, either alone or in combination with ERβ, and the ERβ/ERα ratio was decreased when compared to normal proliferation (P < 0.05). Also, we found that the expression of ERα and ERβ has no relationship with the status of lymph node of adenocarcinoma (P > 0.05). Both ERα and ERβ play an important role in endometrial hyperplasia and carcinomas, the levels of ERα and ERβ appear be used as prognostic indicators.