Receptor changes in metachronous breast tumors--our experience of 10 years.
BACKGROUND
Patients with primary breast cancer (PBC) are at 2 to 6 times higher risk for developing synchronous and metachronous breast cancer (MBC). The pathology and behavior of MBC still remains unclear.


METHODS
We reviewed the charts of 108 women with MBC at our hospital over the past 10 years. Profile patterns of the estrogen receptor (ER), the progesterone receptor (PR), and Her2/neu receptors were explored.


RESULTS
Of 33 patients with ER(+)/PR(+) in the primary tumor, 23 (70%) retained the status in MBC. Forty-five (92%) of 49 patients with ER(-)/PR(-) in the primary tumor remained the same in MBC. Most Her2(-) tumors (22/31, 71%) remained negative, but 50% (8/16) of Her2(+) tumors became negative.


CONCLUSIONS
Most MBC retained the ER/PR expression patterns irrespective of the treatment for the primary tumor, thus suggesting a common origin. Because MBCs tend to be triple negative and thus more aggressive, early detection and close surveillance techniques must be devised.
Department of Surgery, Providence Hospital and Medical Centers, Southfield, MI, USA. drjsbhullar@gmail.com
Jasneet Singh
JS
Bhullar
Amruta
A
Unawane
Gokulakkrishna
G
Subhas
Husein
H
Poonawala
Linda
L
Dubay
Lorenzo
L
Ferguson
Yousif
Y
Goriel
Michael J
MJ
Jacobs
Ramachandra B
RB
Kolachalam
Sumet
S
Silapaswan
Vijay K
VK
Mittal
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor / Q000378:metabolism*; D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology / Q000628:therapy; D003131:Combined Modality Therapy; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008207:Lymphatic Metastasis; D008875:Middle Aged; D016609:Neoplasms, Second Primary / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology / Q000628:therapy; D018719:Erb-b2 Receptor Tyrosine Kinases / Q000378:metabolism; D011960:Receptors, Estrogen / Q000378:metabolism*; D011980:Receptors, Progesterone / Q000378:metabolism*; D012189:Retrospective Studies
D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor; D018719:Erb-b2 Receptor Tyrosine Kinases; D011960:Receptors, Estrogen; D011980:Receptors, Progesterone