Luteinizing hormone receptor status and clinical, pathologic, and prognostic features in patients with breast carcinomas.

Background: It has been established that pregnancy protects against breast carcinoma, and animal models have shown that human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG) mimics this effect by inhibiting the initiation and progression of experimental breast carcinoma. Luteinizing hormone (LH)/hCG receptors (LHR) have been characterized in several human breast carcinoma cell lines and in a limited number of breast carcinoma biopsy specimens. These observations led to the suggestion that hCG may be used as a means of prevention and possibly treatment in patients with breast carcinoma.