Oestrogen receptors β1 and βcx have divergent roles in breast cancer survival and lymph node metastasis.

ABSTRACT:

Background

The expression of oestrogen receptor (ER) α characterises a subset of breast cancers associated with good response to endocrine therapy. However, the clinical significance of the second ER, ERβ1, and its splice variant ERβcx is still unclear.

Methods

We here report an assessment of ERα, ERβ1 and ERβcx by immunohistochemistry using quantitative digital image analysis of 340 primary tumours and corresponding sentinel lymph nodes.

Results

No differences were seen in ER levels in primary tumours vs lymph node metastases. ERβ1 and ERβcx were equally distributed among age groups and tumour histological grades. Loss of ERβ1 in the primary tumour was strongly associated with poor survival. Its prognostic impact was particularly evident in young patients and in high

SUBMITTER: Rosin G 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC4150283 | biostudies-literature | 2014 Aug

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature