Evaluation of oestrogen and progesterone receptors, and c-erbB-2 in carcinoma of the breast in Trinidadian women

ABSTRACT

One hundred and three consecutive cases of breast cancer in Trinidadian women were evaluated for steroid receptor status and c-erbB-2 receptor along with conventional parameters including age, ethnicity, tumour size, histological type and grade, and lymph node status The molecular markers were studied by immunohistochemistry (IHC) on paraffin sections. Tumour size > 2 cm was seen in 60 of the cases. Oestrogen receptor (ER), progesterone receptor (PR) and c-erbB-2 showed 54, 46 and 63 positivity, respectively. There was no correlation between c-erbB-2 and steroid receptors. Forty-one per cent of cases showed double negativity for steroid receptors (ER-/PR-). No correlation was found between the markers and conventional parameters except for a negative correlation with the tumour grade. The high percentage of c-erbB-2 positivity and the high proportion of steroid receptor negativity suggest a need for studies on adjuvant therapy. Integration of selected markers with conventional parameters could help define subgroups for treatment and prognosis.