pISSN 1738-6756   eISSN 2092-9900
Open Access, Peer-reviewed
    J Breast Cancer. 2007 Sep;10(3):206-210. Korean.
    Published online Sep 30, 2007.
    https://doi.org/10.4048/jbc.2007.10.3.206
    Copyright © 2007 Korean Breast Cancer Society
    Original Article

    Alteration of Estrogen Receptor, Progesterone Receptor, and HER-2 Expression in Breast Cancer after Neoadjuvant Chemotherapy

    Jong Won Lee, Wonshik Han, Eunyoung Ko, Jihyoung Cho, So-Youn Jung, Eun-Kyu Kim, Bhumsuk Keam,1 Seock-Ah Im,1 Ho-chang Lee,2 In Ae Park,2 Seung Keun Oh, Yeo-Kyu Youn, Sung-Won Kim, Ki-Tae Hwang and Dong-Young Noh
      • Department of Surgery, Seoul National University College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea.
      • 1Department of Internal Medicine, Seoul National University College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea.
      • 2Department of Pathology, Seoul National University College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea.
    Received May 02, 2007; Accepted June 21, 2007.

    Abstract

    Purpose

    We aimed to assess the concordance of the immunohistochemical profiles of core biopsy before administrating neoadjuvant chemotherapy with that of the surgical specimens after a definitive operation for breast cancer.

    Methods

    We retrospectively reviewed the estrogen receptor (ER), progesterone receptor (PR), and HER-2 expressions in 130 consecutive patients who received neoadjuvant chemotherapy and were followed by surgery during the period between February 2002 and March 2006. The pathologic complete tumor response rate for this group was 4.6% (6/130). Both the pre- and post-operative immunohistochemical profiles were available in 32 of the 124 patients (25.8%). Immunohistochemical staining was done on the core biopsies before chemotherapy and on the surgical specimens after operation.

    Results

    There were 12 markers from 11 patients that were altered out of the 96 total markers (ER, PR, or HER-2) from 32 patients: 2 ER (2/12, 16.7%), 4 PR (4/12, 33.3%), and 6 HER-2 (6/12, 50.0%). One patient simultaneously had changes in the expressions of PR and HER-2. Conversion of the hormone receptor status occurred in 3 patients (3/32, 9.4%): this was positive to negative in two, and vice versa in one. In addition, there were 6 conversions (6/32, 18.8%) of the HER-2 status from negative to positive.

    Conclusion

    The hormone receptor status changed in 9.4% of the 32 patients and the HER-2 status changed in 18.8% of the 32 patients after neoadjuvant chemotherapy. We have concluded that conducting only a single immunohistochemical study about ER, PR, and HER-2 may not be enough to exactly estimate the tumor marker status in the neoadjuvant setting.

    Keywords
    Breast cancer; Neoadjuvant chemotherapy; Tumor marker expression; Steroid hormone receptor; HER-2

    Tables

    Table 1
    Clinicopathologic characteristics

    Table 2
    Treatment characteristics

    Table 3
    Alteration patterns of ER and PR expression on IHC after neoadjuvant chemotherapy (n=32)

    Table 4
    Alteration patterns of HER-2 on IHC after neoadjuvant chemotherapy

    Table 5
    Clinicopathologic characteristics of 11 female patients who experienced receptor expression changes after neoadjuvant chemotherapy

    References

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    MeSH Terms
    Biopsy
    Breast Neoplasms*
    Breast*
    Drug Therapy*
    Estrogens*
    Humans
    Receptors, Progesterone*
    Retrospective Studies
    Metrics
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