[Growth receptor factor and steroid hormones: their diagnostic value in differential diagnosis of neoplasms in children].

: The distribution of epidermal growth factor receptors (EGFR) and receptors for steroid hormones--androgens (RA), estrogens (RE) and glucocorticoids (RG) was studied in malignant (MT) and benign (BT) tumors in children. The distribution and mean levels of some receptors in normal tissues were statistically different from those in MT and BT. The absence of RA and the high levels of RE > 20 fmol/mg protein and RG > 50 fmol/mg protein were typical of MT whereas BT might be characterized by the high levels of EGFR > 300 fmol/mg protein. In MT with and without metastases, the following parameters were significantly different (p < 0.001): RG = 81 and 18 fmol/mg, respectively, and EGFR = 160 and 58 fmol/mg protein, respectively. The most informative parameters for distinguishing BT and MT appeared to be RA (0.086 dit), RE (0.043 dit) and EGFR (0.037 dit). The most sensitive parameter for MT was RG, which, however, is least specific; RA is most specific (75%). The optimal amount of three parameters: RA + RE + EGFR (88.4%) is most exact for differential diagnosis.