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Article Type

Original Study

Abstract

Objective The aim of this study was to estimate the expression of androgen receptors (ARs) in patients with estrogen receptor (ER)-negative breast cancer. Background Growth of breast cancer is hormone dependent. Estrogen and progesterone play a fundamental role in the pathogenesis and treatment of patients with ER-positive breast cancer and those with progesterone receptor-positive breast cancer. Patients who lack the expression of these receptors receive no benefit from hormonal treatment and are considered to have a poor prognosis. AR is a member of nuclear steroid receptors with ambiguous role in patients with breast cancer. There is growing evidence about its prognostic and predictive value in patients with breast cancer. Patient and methods This study included 56 patients who presented to Department of Clinical Oncology, Menoufia University, between January 2012 and December 2014. We included patients with pathologically proven invasive breast cancer and negatively expressing ER. Immunohistochemical study was done to evaluate the expression of AR using paraffin-embedded formalin-fixed tissue sections. Data were collected regarding clinicopathological characteristics, treatment modalities, and survival analysis including progression-free survival and overall survival. Results AR was expressed in 34% of patients and was correlated with advanced axillary nodal involvement and human epidermal growth factor receptor overexpression. It has a poor effect on overall survival in patients with triple-negative breast cancer and good effect on patients with ER-negative human epidermal growth factor receptor-positive disease. Conclusion AR is a possible prognostic factor in breast cancer. Patients with triple-negative breast cancer could be classified into those with AR-negative disease and AR-positive disease.

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