Estrogen and Progesterone Receptors in Primary Breast Cancer

Abstract: The purpose of this study was to determine biological variable profiles and survival experiences associated with different combinations of estrogen receptor (ER) and progesterone receptor (PR) status (ER+PR+, ER+PR-, ER-PR+, ER-PR-). Data were collected and provided by the State Health Registry (SHR) of Iowa, part of the National Cancer Institute's Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results (SEER) Program. Significant associations were determined for individual prognostic variables with each ER/PR categories, and overall survival was compared between each ER/PR category. Multiple logistic regression analyses were conducted to determine all significant prognostic variables associated with each ER/ PR category. All women diagnosed with primary breast cancer in Iowa from 1990 through 1992 were included in this study (N = 6, 178). In unadjusted analyses, Caucasian woman and older women were significantly more likely to be ER + PR+, while African American women and younger women were significantly more likely to be ER-PR-. In multivariate analyses, each ER/PR category was associated with distinct profile of age, menopausal status, histologic grade, and histology. Survival was best for women in the ER+PR+ group, followed, in decreasing order, by ER+PR-, ER-PR+, and ER-PR-. In this population-based study of primary breast cancer, combined hormone receptor status was a significant prognostic determinant for primary breast cancer, and was associated with distinct biological variables and survival experiences. In combination with other variables such as age, menopausal status, tumor histologic grade, and tumor histology, combined hormone receptor status can provide important prognostic information to the clinician.?