Evaluation of oestrogen, progesterone receptors and c-erb-B2 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-erb-B2 receptor along with clinicopathological data including age, race, tumour size, histological type and grade and lymph node status. The molecular markers were studied by immunohistochemistry (IHC) on parrafin sections. Tumour size of > 2cm was seen in 60 percent of the cases. Oestrogen receptor (ER), progesterone receptor (PR) and c-erb-B2 showed 54 percent, 46 percent and 63 percent positivity, respectively. There was no correlation between c-erb-B2 and steroid receptors. Forty-one percent (41 percent) of cases showed double negativity for steroid receptors (ER-/PR-). No correlation was found between the markers and clinicopathological data except for negative correlation with the tumour grade. The high percentage of c-erb-B2 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. (AU)