Molecular subtypes of breast cancer

Background: Breast cancer is the most common invasive malignancy among women in Bahrain. Hormone receptor status and human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 [HER2] protein overexpression are important parameters in determining the therapeutic options and patient prognosis

Objective: To evaluate the prevalence of estrogen [ER], progesterone [PR] and HER2 receptor status and as well as the molecular subtypes of breast cancer in Bahrain compared with those reported in other countries

Design: A Retrospective Study

Setting: Salmaniya Medical Complex, Bahrain

Method: Two hundred eighty-six female breast cancer patients were included in the study. Data collected included patient age, tumor type, ER, PR and HER2 receptor status, and molecular subtypes. The data were analyzed using SPSS version 25

Result: One hundred eighty-eight [65.7%] were ER-positive tumors. One hundred sixty-five [57.8%] PR receptors were positive. Eighty-nine [31.1%] patients had HER2 amplification. One hundred forty-seven [51.4%] cancers were Luminal A and 48 [16.8%] were Luminal B subtype. Forty-one [14.3%] tumors were HER2-type and 50 [17.5%] had triple negative breast cancers among females. Correlation between age and immunohistochemistry [IHC] receptor status was not statistically significant

Conclusion: The prevalence of molecular subtypes of breast cancer showed some variation among the regional population. Among females in Bahrain, the proportion of HER2-type and triple negative breast cancers is higher than other regional countries

Breast metastasis from a medullary renal cell cancer

A twenty-seven-year-old female diagnosed with renal cell carcinoma presented post-radical nephrectomy with bilateral breast lesions. Clinically, the lesions appeared malignant. Core biopsy confirmed a metastatic secondary breast cancer from primary medullary renal cell carcinoma. Metastatic breast cancer from renal cell carcinoma is extremely rare; very few cases were reported in the literature. There are no clear guidelines on the management of such cases. The prognosis is very poor and the treatment remains controversial