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. 2018 Sep-Oct;38(5):326-335.
doi: 10.5144/0256-4947.2018.326.

Expression of androgen receptor in invasive ductal breast carcinomas: a clinicopathological study from Jordan

Fatima Nouri Obeidat  1 , Mamoun Ahram, Ali Al-Khader, Suzan Al Mbaideen, Huda Hassan, Bushra Altarawneh, Khairat Battah
Affiliations

Expression of androgen receptor in invasive ductal breast carcinomas: a clinicopathological study from Jordan

Fatima Nouri Obeidat et al. Ann Saudi Med. 2018 Sep-Oct.

Abstract

Background: The clinical relevance of androgen receptors (ARs) expressed in breast cancer cells and the suggested prognostic impact has been an area of active research. The prevalence rate of AR expression in breast cancer has never been reported among Jordanian patients.

Objective: Determine the expression rate of ARs among invasive ductal breast cancer cases of different stages and molecular subtypes. Also, analyze the relationship between AR expression and clinicopathologic and immunohistochemical criteria, and assess the impact of AR expression on survival.

Design: Retrospective medical record review.

Setting: Tertiary care hospital in Amman, Jordan.

Patients and methods: Our study comprised only of cases of invasive ductal breast carcinoma of no special type among females from records during a 10-year period between 2006 and 2015. Immunohistochemical staining was considered positive if more than 10% of tumor nuclei showed positive staining.

Main outcome measures: The expression rate of ARs and the association of the expression rate with the clinicopathologic features of invasive breast cancer.

Sample size: 293.

Results: Immunohistochemical staining for AR revealed positive stain.ing in 180 (61.4%) cases, including approximately 50% of triple-negative breast cancer cases. AR positivity correlated with estrogen receptor (ER) status (P=.007) and smaller T size (P=.014). However, no significant association was found with any of the other variables. AR expression was positively associated with overall survival (P=.022) in general and in ER-positive cases (P=.012). However, in the multivariate Cox regression model, AR was not independently associated with survival.

Conclusions: These results were consistent with international reports showing a significant relationship of AR expression with ER status. In addition, AR expression was significantly associated with smaller tumor size. Although AR status was not independently associated with survival, our data suggest AR is a good prognostic factor.

Limitations: Some clinical data were missing.

Conflict of interest: None.

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Conflict of interest statement

CONFLICT OF INTEREST: None.

Figures

Figure 1A
Figure 1A
Case of IDC-NST with positive nuclear staining for AR (400×).
Figure 1B
Figure 1B
Case of IDC-NST with negative nuclear staining for AR (400×).
Figure 2A
Figure 2A
Overall survival according to AR expression in general (P=.022 for AR-positive vs AR-negative cases).
Figure 2B
Figure 2B
Overall survival according to AR expression in the ER-positive group (P=.012 for AR-positive vs AR-negative cases).
Figure 2C
Figure 2C
Overall survival according to AR expression in the ER-negative group (P=.987 for AR-positive vs AR-negative cases).
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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