Oestrogen receptor variants and mutations in human breast cancer.

Several oestrogen receptor variant and mutated mRNA species have been identified in human breast samples and cell lines. Over-expression and altered expression of some of these mRNAs have been correlated with breast tumourigenesis and progression. The following review focuses on the current knowledge available in the scientific literature with respect to the type and characteristics of oestrogen receptor variants and mutations that have been identified as occurring naturally in human breast tissues and cell lines.