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01-11-2018 | Preclinical study

The prognostic value of androgen receptors in breast cancer subtypes

Authors: Maria Ryssdal Kraby, Marit Valla, Signe Opdahl, Olav Anton Haugen, Joanna Ewa Sawicka, Monica Jernberg Engstrøm, Anna Mary Bofin

Published in: Breast Cancer Research and Treatment | Issue 2/2018

Abstract

Purpose

Androgen receptor (AR) expression is frequent in breast cancer and has been associated with good prognosis in several studies. The present study investigates AR-expression in relation to molecular subtypes, clinicopathological features and prognosis in 1297 primary tumours and 336 paired axillary lymph node metastases (LNM) from two cohorts of Norwegian patients.

Methods

Immunohistochemistry for AR was performed on tumours previously reclassified into molecular subtypes using immunohistochemistry and in situ hybridisation. Associations between AR-expression and clinical features were studied using Chi-square tests. Cumulative incidence of breast cancer death and Cox regression analyses were used to assess prognosis.

Results

AR-positivity was found in 78.0% of all cases, 84.9% of luminal and 45.1% of non-luminal tumours. The highest proportion of AR-positivity was found in Luminal B tumours, and the lowest in the Basal phenotype. Discordance in AR-status between primary tumours and lymph node metastases was observed in 21.4% of cases. A switch from AR⁻ primary tumour to AR⁺ lymph node metastasis was seen in 60/72 discrepant cases. AR-expression in primary tumours was an independent and favourable prognostic marker (HR 0.70, 95% CI 0.55–0.90), particularly in the Luminal A subtype, and in grade 3 tumours.

Conclusions

AR is an independent predictor of good prognosis in BC, particularly in grade 3 and Luminal A tumours. Discordant AR-expression between primary tumour and LNM was observed in 21.4% of cases and most often there was a switch from AR⁻ primary tumour to AR⁺ axillary LNM.

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Title: The prognostic value of androgen receptors in breast cancer subtypes
Authors: Maria Ryssdal Kraby
Marit Valla
Signe Opdahl
Olav Anton Haugen
Joanna Ewa Sawicka
Monica Jernberg Engstrøm
Anna Mary Bofin
Publication date: 01-11-2018
Publisher: Springer US
Published in: Breast Cancer Research and Treatment / Issue 2/2018
Print ISSN: 0167-6806
Electronic ISSN: 1573-7217
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10549-018-4904-x

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