Expression of ER, PR, and Her-2/neu in endometrial cancer: a clinicopathological study

Abstract

Objective: To determine any association between expression of estrogen receptor (ER), progesterone receptor (PR), and Her-2/neu and clinicopathological features, including survival, of endometrial carcinoma (EMC) patients.

Methods: Samples of formalin-fixed, paraffin-embedded tissue of 108 patients with EMC treated at our institution between January 1994 and December 2007 were immunohistochemically studied.

Results: ER, PR, and Her-2/neu expression were positive in 59.3%, 65.7% and 2.8% of cases, respectively. Positive ER expression was significantly associated with grade I-II tumor while PR expression was linked with endometrioid histology, grade I-II tumor, less myometrial invasion (MI) and negative lymph node involvement. Her-2/neu expression was significantly associated with deep MI, while positive ER and negative Her-2/neu expression in combination was significantly associated with longer disease-free and overall survival.

Conclusion: ER expression is a good prognostic factor while Her-2/neu expression appears to be a poor indicator for both disease-free and overall survival, while PR tended to show favorable influence for only disease-free survival of Thai EMCs.