title: 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.
authors.affiliation: Departments of Pathology and Surgery, Faculty of Medical Sciences, University of the West Indies, Eric Williams Medical Sciences Complex, Champs Fleurs, Trinidad and Tobago, West Indies. crao@tstt.net.tt
authors.forename: A V C
authors.initials: AV
authors.lastname: Rao
authors.forename: W A
authors.initials: WA
authors.lastname: Mohammed
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Ragoonanan
authors.forename: N E
authors.initials: NE
authors.lastname: Omo-Igbinomwanhia
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor / Q000032:analysis; D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000235:genetics / Q000473:pathology; D018270:Carcinoma, Ductal, Breast / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics / Q000473:pathology; D002285:Carcinoma, Intraductal, Noninfiltrating / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000235:genetics / Q000473:pathology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D008875:Middle Aged; D018719:Erb-b2 Receptor Tyrosine Kinases / Q000032:analysis*; D011960:Receptors, Estrogen / Q000032:analysis*; D011980:Receptors, Progesterone / Q000032:analysis*; D014300:Trinidad and Tobago / Q000453:epidemiology
chemical_list: D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor; D018719:Erb-b2 Receptor Tyrosine Kinases; D011960:Receptors, Estrogen; D011980:Receptors, Progesterone