Dictionary of Cancer Terms
View in Spanish: Receptores de estrógeno positivos
Estrogen receptor positive (ES-truh-jin reh-SEP-ter PAH-zuh-tiv)
Describes cells that have a receptor protein that binds the hormone estrogen. Cancer cells that are estrogen receptor positive may need estrogen to grow, and may stop growing or die when treated with substances that block the binding and actions of estrogen. Also called ER+.
Source: National Cancer Institute Dictionary of Cancer Terms, available at www.cancer.gov/dictionary.