Hormone receptor expression and Her/2neu amplification in breast carcinoma in a cohort of Sri Lankans.

OBJECTIVE

1. To determine the profile of estrogen and, progesterone receptors (ER, PR) expression and Her/2neu amplification in carcinoma of breast of Sri Lankan women. 2) To determine their inter-relationships, and associations with age at diagnosis and histological grade.

DESIGN

Retrospective analysis of data.

SETTING

Department of Pathology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Peradeniya.

MATERIALS

124 samples of invasive ductal carcinoma of breast, stained for steroid receptors and Her/2neu amplification with immunohistochemistry.

MEASUREMENTS

1. Semiquantative scores of steroid receptors and Her/2neu amplification. 2) Correlations of ER, PR, Her/2neu amplification, age at diagnosis and histological grade.

RESULTS

The prevalence of ER, PR and Her/2neu amplification were 53.2%, 50% and 14.6% respectively. The expression of ER and PR were significantly correlated (p < 0.001). and had a significant negative correlation with Her/2neu amplification (p0.003 each). Lower grade of the tumour was significantly related to the expression of ER (p0.000) and PR (p0.000) but not to Her/2neu amplification (p0.331). Age at diagnosis was significantly correlated to the expression of ER (p0.004), but not to PR (p0.365) or Her/2neu amplification (p0.456).

CONCLUSION

Prevalence or ER, PR and Her/2neu amplification in carcinoma of breast among Sri Lankans is similar to that described internationally. The correlations of ER, PR, Her/2neu amplification, to each other, age at diagnosis and grade of tumour is as reported in other countries.