RESUMO
Objective To analyze the relationship of the expression level of estrogen receptor (ER), progesterone receptor (PR) and human epidermal growth factor receptor-2 (HER-2, c-erbB-2) of breast invasive ductal carcinoma (IDC) with ultrasonographic characteristics. Methods Totally 104 patients with IDCs confirmed pathologically were involved in this study. ER, PR and c-erbB-2 expression in the IDC specimens was determined by immunohistochemical staining technique. The correlation between the ultrasonographic features and the positive expression of ER, PR or c-erbB-2 was analyzed. Results The positive expression rate of ER and PR in the group with tumor spiculation sign and posterior acoustic attenuation was higher than that in the group without. The positive expression rate of ER differed significantly (P<0.05) while that of PR did not (P>0.05). The over-expression rate of c-erbB-2 in the group of microcalcification, sufficient blood flow and axillary lymph node metastasis was higher than that in the group of non-microcalcification, deficient blood flow or without axillary lymph node metastasis (P<0.05). The expression of ER, PR and c-erbB-2 was not related to the size of tumor (P>0.05). Conclusion The expression of ER and c-erbB-2 is closely related to the ultrasonographic characteristics of IDC, which may, to some extent, reflect the expression level of ER and c-erbB-2.