A comparison of immunohistochemical staining for oestrogen receptor, progesterone receptor and HER-2 in breast core biopsies and subsequent excisions.
OBJECTIVE
To compare immunohistochemical staining for oestrogen receptor, progesterone receptor and HER-2 between core biopsy and matched subsequent excisional specimens.


METHODS
One hundred consecutive core biopsy cases and subsequent excisional specimens were retrieved and immunohistochemical staining performed. Proportion and intensity of staining for hormone receptors and HercepTest score were recorded for each case in a blinded fashion by the authors.


RESULTS
Overall hormone receptor status was concordant between cores and excisions in 96.9% of cases. ER status was concordant between the core and excision in 95.8% of cases. The intensity of staining for ER was similar in both core and excision specimens. PR status was concordant in cores and excisions in 90.3% of cases. There was weaker PR staining in the excisional specimens when compared with the cores. HER-2 status was concordant in cores and excisions in 86.6% of cases.


CONCLUSIONS
Hormone receptor staining produced similar results on core and excisional specimens, although a small number of additional hormone receptor positive cases could be detected by performing staining on a previously received core in the case of a negative result on the excisional specimen. HER-2 staining is less reproducible between cores and excisions, but the clinical significance of this observation remains to be tested.
Division of Tissue Pathology, PathWest Laboratory Medicine, QEII Medical Centre and Sir Charles Gairdner Hospital, Western Australia, Australia. benjamin.wood@health.wa.gov.au
Benjamin
B
Wood
Reimar
R
Junckerstorff
Gregory
G
Sterrett
Felicity
F
Frost
Jennet
J
Harvey
Peter
P
Robbins
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001706:Biopsy / Q000379:methods; D001940:Breast / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery; D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007150:Immunohistochemistry / Q000379:methods; D008875:Middle Aged; D018719:Erb-b2 Receptor Tyrosine Kinases / Q000032:analysis* / Q000378:metabolism; D011960:Receptors, Estrogen / Q000032:analysis* / Q000378:metabolism; D011980:Receptors, Progesterone / Q000032:analysis* / Q000378:metabolism; D015203:Reproducibility of Results
D018719:Erb-b2 Receptor Tyrosine Kinases; D011960:Receptors, Estrogen; D011980:Receptors, Progesterone; C508053:ERBB2 protein, human