Journal of Carcinogenesis & Mutagenesis

Abstract

Predictive and Prognostic Factors in Breast Cancer and their Association with ER PR HER2/neu Expression

Sinha S, Nath J, Mukherjee A and Chatterjee T

Background: Breast Cancer is the most common malignancy amongst Indian women. Adjuvant therapy, which helps in prolonging survival, is determined by the expression of Estrogen Receptor (ER), Progesterone Receptor (PR) and Human Epidermal Receptor (HER2/neu) on the cancer cells. Expression of these receptors is governed by some patient and tumor characteristics. Aims and objectives: The aim of this study is to look into the association of patient age, tumor grade and lymph node stage with ER PR HER2/neu expression. Materials and methods: The study was conducted in the Department of Pathology of Suraksha Diagnostics for a period of two years (2014-2016). The sample size is 68. For all specimens of breast cancer received by modified radical mastectomy, patient age, tumor histological grade as per Nottingham’s Histological score and lymph node stage were recorded and correlated with the ER, PR, HER2/ neu score for each specimen. ER positive tumors were considered to have favourable receptor expression while triple negative followed by ER negative tumors were considered to have unfavourable receptor expression. Results and analysis: This study shows that breast cancers are more common in women aged more than 40 years (73.5%) but younger women had more unfavourable receptor expression (61.1%). Grade II tumors (66.2%) were most common but Grade III tumors had more unfavourable receptor expression (90%).N1 lymph node stage (44.1%) was most common but N3 tumors had more unfavourable receptor expression (80%). Conclusion: Young age, higher tumor grade and higher lymph node stage are associated with more unfavourable receptor expression and adverse prognosis. Hence, early diagnosis of breast cancers will help detection at lower tumor grade and stage and improve patient survival.