A PROSPECTIVESTUDY OF ESTROGEN, PROGESTRONE AND HER2NEU RECEPTOR IN CASES OF BREAST CANCER IN A TERTIARY CARE HOSPITAL OF BHAVNAGAR, GUJARAT, WESTERN INDIA

Abstract

Introduction: Hormonal receptors in breast have an implication on the outcomes of breast cancer in women. The objectives of the study were to know the incidence and therapeutic importance of ER/PR & HER2NEU receptor status and it’s relation to recurrence in breast cancer cases.

Methodology: A prospective study was conducted over a period of two years from 2012-2013 on 30 newly diagnosed cases of breast cancer admitted at a tertiary care centre in Bhavnagar. Patientswere clinically staged and either posted for surgery or for neo-adjuvant chemotherapy. In case they were posted for Modified Radical Mastectomy, the specimen of the breast tissue was sent to histo-pathological examination and immuno-histochemistry to determine the ER, PR & HER2NEU receptor status of the breast specimen. On basis of clinical and histo-pathological staging patient received chemotherapy and hormonal therapy. Patients were then monitored for recurrence of breast cancer.

Results: The present study found 53.3% breast cancer patients positive for ER, 36.6% patients positive for PR, 53.3% co-positive for ER/PR and 56.6% patients positive for HER2NEU receptor. Breast cancer patients <50 years age were 56 times more likely to test positive for ER receptors; 5.7 times more likely to test positive for PR receptors and those >50 years of age were 25.6 times more likely to test positive for HER2NEU receptors. ER/PR negative patients (who are conventionally not treated with Tamoxifen) were 28.6 times more likely to experience recurrence of breast cancer at six months than EP/PR positive patients who are treated with Tamoxifen. HER2NEU receptor positive patients were 5.2 times more likely to experience recurrence of breast cancer than HER2NEU receptor negative patients.

Conclusion: Post-operative recurrence is significantly less in ER/PR positive breast cancer patients who are treated with Tamoxifen hormonal therapy and is significantly high in HER2NEU receptor positive patients.