Hormone receptor status of breast cancer in India: a study of 798 tumours

The objectives of this study were to document the oestrogen and progesterone receptor (ER & PR) status of breast cancer in the Indian population (as done by immunohistochemistry on paraffin blocks), and correlate the steroid receptor status of breast cancer with all relevant patient and tumour characteristics. Our current data have been compared with previously published data from other centres. In contrast to the higher rates reported in the Western literature, only 32.6% of our tumours were ER positive and 46.1% were PR positive. Tumours were separated into four categories: ER+PR+ (25%), ER+PR- (7.4%), ER-PR+ (21.1%) and ER-PR- (46.5%). ER and PR immunoreactivity increased with advancing age, and correlated with the presence of elastosis. Infiltrating lobular carcinoma, mucinous carcinoma, and mixed tumours were more frequently ER & PR positive. High-grade infiltrating duct carcinomas, pure comedo ductal carcinoma in situ, and medullary carcinoma were predominantly ER & PR negative. The presence of necrosis and lymphovascular invasion showed an inverse relationship with ER and PR reactivity.