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01-07-2014 | Breast Oncology

Androgen Receptor Expression Shows Distinctive Significance in ER Positive and Negative Breast Cancers

Authors: Julia Y. S. Tsang, PhD, Yun-Bi Ni, MMSc, Siu-Ki Chan, FHKCPath, Mu-Min Shao, MMSc, Bonita K. B. Law, FRCS, Puay Hoon Tan, FRCPA, Gary M. Tse, FRCPC

Published in: Annals of Surgical Oncology | Issue 7/2014

Abstract

Background

Androgen receptor (AR), a nuclear steroid hormone receptor, is differentially expressed in breast cancer subgroups with distinct clinical implications.

Methods

To investigate the clinical significance of AR in breast cancers more precisely, the expression of AR in a large cohort of breast cancer was correlated with clinicopathological features, biomarker expression, and patients’ survival according to different molecular groupings in this study.

Results

Higher AR expression was found in ER+ (57.8 %) than in ER− (24.7 %) cancers. In the ER+ cancers, AR expression was associated with favorable clinicopathological features, including lower grade (p < .001), lower pT stage (p < .001), and positivity for PR (p < .001). It was an independent prognostic factor for longer disease-free survival, mainly in the HER2+ luminal B cancers (hazard ratio [HR] = 0.251, 95 % CI 0.065−0.972, p = .045). In ER− cancers, AR expression was associated with features distinct from basal-like breast cancer, and such features were found in molecular apocrine (MA) cancers. AR correlated with presence of extensive in situ component (p = .006) and apocrine phenotype (p < .001), HER2 (p = .026), and EGFR (p = .048), but negatively with c-kit (p = .041), CK5/6 (p < .001), CK14 (p = .002), and αB-crystallin (p = .038). However, AR expression was found only in 37.8 % of immunohistochemically defined MA. Of note, AR−MA appeared to have a trend of worse overall survival than AR+MA.

Conclusions

AR expression was different in ER+ and ER− cancers and had different clinical implications. AR alone may not be a good marker for MA subtype. Its expression in MA may have substantial prognostic implication and as such warrants further validation.

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Title: Androgen Receptor Expression Shows Distinctive Significance in ER Positive and Negative Breast Cancers
Authors: Julia Y. S. Tsang, PhD
Yun-Bi Ni, MMSc
Siu-Ki Chan, FHKCPath
Mu-Min Shao, MMSc
Bonita K. B. Law, FRCS
Puay Hoon Tan, FRCPA
Gary M. Tse, FRCPC
Publication date: 01-07-2014
Publisher: Springer US
Published in: Annals of Surgical Oncology / Issue 7/2014
Print ISSN: 1068-9265
Electronic ISSN: 1534-4681
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1245/s10434-014-3629-2

At a glance: The STEP trials

Springer Medicine

Androgen Receptor Expression Shows Distinctive Significance in ER Positive and Negative Breast Cancers

Abstract

Background

Methods

Results

Conclusions

At a glance: The STEP trials

Springer Medicine

Abstract

Background

Methods

Results

Conclusions

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