title: Which women with breast cancer do, and do not, undergo receptor status testing? A population-based study.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Receptor status determines of breast cancer treatment and prognosis. In a population-based study, we investigated predictors of receptor test receipt.
  
  
  METHODS
  Invasive breast cancers diagnosed 2006-2008 were abstracted from the National Cancer Registry Ireland. Modified Poisson regression with robust error variance was used to identify socio-demographic, health service and clinical predictors of not undergoing ER, PR or HER2 testing.
  
  
  RESULTS
  7619 breast cancers were included. 7% were not tested for any receptor. 92%, 80% and 86% had oestrogen (ER), progesterone (PR) and human epidermal growth factor 2 (HER2) tests, respectively; 73% were tested for all three. For all three tests, unmarried women were significantly less likely to be tested than married women. Current smokers significantly more often had ER and PR tests. Women treated in a high-volume hospital significantly more often had ER and HER2 tests.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  After adjusting for clinical factors, socio-demographic and service-related factors significantly predicted receptor test receipt. Some factors deserve further investigation, especially marital status. In the interests of equity, the reasons underlying these associations should be further investigated.
authors: National Cancer Registry Ireland, Cork, Ireland. Electronic address: cancelam@gmail.com.
authors: Marianna
authors: M
authors: de Camargo Cancela
authors: National Cancer Registry Ireland, Cork, Ireland.
authors: Harry
authors: H
authors: Comber
authors: National Cancer Registry Ireland, Cork, Ireland; Institute of Health & Society, Newcastle University, England.
authors: Linda
authors: L
authors: Sharp
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor / Q000032:analysis*; D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism; D005260:Female; D005820:Genetic Testing / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D006801:Humans; D007494:Ireland; D008875:Middle Aged; D010818:Practice Patterns, Physicians' / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D011379:Prognosis; D018719:Erb-b2 Receptor Tyrosine Kinases / Q000032:analysis / Q000096:biosynthesis; D011960:Receptors, Estrogen / Q000032:analysis / Q000096:biosynthesis; D011980:Receptors, Progesterone / Q000032:analysis / Q000096:biosynthesis
chemical_list: D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor; D018719:Erb-b2 Receptor Tyrosine Kinases; D011960:Receptors, Estrogen; D011980:Receptors, Progesterone
keywords: Breast cancer; Health service research; Marital status; Population-based; Receptor testing