Correlation of expression of ER, PR and HER2/neu receptor status with clinico- pathological parameters in breast carcinoma

Background: Breast carcinoma is the most common malignant tumor and the leading cause of carcinoma death in women, worldwide. The immunohistochemical classification provides both therapeutic and prognostic information. The objective of present study was to know the association of molecular classification with clinicopathological parameters for prognostic significance in breast cancer. Materials and methods: This was a retrospective cum prospective study was conducted in the Department of Pathology for a period of 2 years. Total 156 patients were included in this study, few patients presenting with palpable breast lump undergoing mastectomy whose clinical symptoms were suggestive of breast cancer, patients having recurrence undergoing further treatment and some of the slides were submitted to the department for second opinion were included. Results: In the present study, 156 cases were included. Out of 156, infiltrating ductal carcinoma were 143 and other variants were 13. The age range of occurrence of carcinoma breast was between 26 years to 76 years. The mean age was 53.2 years. Out of 143 cases, 91 cases (63.63%) were seen in perimenopausal and menopausal age group with 52 of cases (36.37%) occurred below 45 years of age and the youngest being 26 years. Conclusion: ER and PR positive expression was seen in grade 1 tumors and negative expression was seen with tumor size more than 2cm, positive lymph nodes and higher stage of disease. HER2/neu negative expression was seen in the post-menopausal age group, tumor size more than 2 cm, positive lymph nodes and higher stage of disease indicating bad prognosis. HER2/neu expression was inversely related to ER and PR expression. HER2/neu expression was seen in 50% of medullary carcinoma which is rare. Triple negative cases were seen in 54.8% cases of infiltrating duct cell carcinoma indicating bad prognosis