Correlation of Hormone Receptor Expression with Histologic Parameters in Benign and Malignant Breast Tumors

Breast cancer is the commonest cancer of Indian women. Estrogen and Progesterone expression is seen in benign breast lesions and in breast carcinoma associated with good prognostic parameters and it correlates well with response to hormone therapy. Although a lot of studies have been conducted in the past on hormone receptor expression in breast cancer and few have correlated them with other prognostic parameters of breast cancer, the present study was intended to document the prevalence of hormone receptor positive breast carcinomas in our population; their importance in benign breast diseases; to document a reliable scoring system of hormone receptors expression by Quick scoring; to correlate them with most of the proven prognostic parameters of breast carcinoma.

Tissue specimens from 25 patients with benign breast disease and 50 patients with breast carcinoma were assayed for estrogen (ER) and progesterone (PR) receptors using Quick scoring. ER/PR expression in breast carcinomas was correlated with various prognostic parameters including patients' age, menopausal status, tumor size, type, MBR grade, NPI, lymphatic vessel invasion, lymph node stage, lymphomononuclear invasion, elastosis and HER2/neu status.

Scoring of steroid receptors paralleled intensity of hyperplasia in benign breast diseases but in breast carcinoma, it was inversely correlated with grade of tumor, NPI, HER2/neu status, tumor necrosis, lymphomononuclear infiltrate and elastosis. We found no relationship with tumor size, lymph node status or age.

Assessment of hormone receptors for clinical management of breast cancer patients is strongly advocated to provide prognostic information and best therapeutic options.