[Expression of androgen receptor in breast carcinoma and its relationship with estrogen receptor, progesterone receptor and HER2 status].

OBJECTIVE: to investigate the expression of androgen receptor (AR) in breast carcinoma and its relationship with estrogen receptor (ER), progesterone receptor (PR) and HER2 status, and to discuss its potential as treatment target.

METHODS: immunohistochemical method was used to detect AR, ER, PR and HER2 expression in 175 cases of invasive ductal carcinoma of breast, which were divided into four groups: luminal A, luminal B, HER2(-) overexpression and triple negative group.

RESULTS: eighty-eight cases (50.3%) were AR positive in 175 cases, the expression of AR was positively correlated with ER, PR and HER2 status. All the cases were grouped as follows: 53 cases (30.3%) were luminal A, 33 cases (18.9%) were luminal B, 23 cases (13.1%) were HER2(-) overexpression and 66 cases (37.7%) were triple negative, the AR expression rate was 56.6% (30/53), 75.8% (25/33), 47.8% (11/23), 33.3% (22/66), respectively. There was significant difference among the four groups' AR expression rates. With respect to the clinico-pathological features, AR positive cases were younger in luminal A and had lower mitosis rate in triple negative subgroups than the negative cases (χ(2) = 4.567, P = 0.033; χ(2) = 5.140, P = 0.023, respectively).

CONCLUSION: AR has a high positive rate in breast carcinoma, and may be an ideal therapeutic target for breast carcinoma, especially for the triple negative subtype.