Predictive value of androgen receptor in distant metastasis of triple-negative breast cancer: a retrospective multi-center study.

BACKGROUND

Although androgen receptor (AR) is highly expressed in triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC), but its role in predicting distant metastasis remains uncertain. This study aimed to investigate the association between AR expression and distant metastasis, including bone metastasis, in TNBC patients.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

We retrospectively analyzed clinical and pathological data from TNBC patients treated at two cancer centers between January 2016 and December 2022. Only cases with AR expression assessed by immunohistochemistry were included. Differences in clinical characteristics, preoperative ultrasound findings, treatment regimens, immunohistochemical features, and lymph node status were compared between patients with and without distant metastases. Logistic regression was used to identify factors associated with metastasis.

RESULTS

Among 381 TNBC patients, 79 (20.7%) developed distant metastases. The AR-negative status was significantly more common in the metastasis group than in the non-metastatic group (65.8% vs. 48.7%, P = 0.0007). Similarly, AR negativity prevalence was higher among patients with bone-only or bone plus visceral metastases compared to those without metastasis (64.4% vs. 48.7%, P = 0.048). Multivariate analysis identified AR-negative status as an independent risk factor for distant metastasis (P = 0.008), while its association with bone metastasis was not statistically significant.

CONCLUSION

Negative AR expression in primary TNBC tumors may serve as a potential predictive marker for distant metastasis. Further research is needed to clarify its role in bone metastasis.