The correlation between imaging findings and breast cancer cell receptors status

Abstract

Introduction: Breast cancer is the most common malignancy among women, and subtypes are mainly defined based on hormone receptors such as estrogen receptor (ER), progesterone receptor (PR), and human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2). The relationship between breast cancer subtypes and imaging features in mammography and sonography has been studied but the results are controversial. The purpose of this study was to determine the relationship between the hormonal receptor status of breast tumors and the radiologic feature of the tumors on mammography and sonography.

Methods: Eighty patients with breast cancer enrolled in this cross-sectional study. ER, PR, and HER2 determined by immunohistochemistry. Every patient underwent mammography and sonography before the biopsy. We evaluated the relationship between the hormonal receptor status and radiographic features of tumors on breast sonography and mammography.

Results: The majority of the patients (n=75 (93.8%)) were diagnosed with invasive ductal carcinoma (IDC). The mean and standard deviation of the age was 49 ± 9 years. There was no significant relationship between the hormonal receptor status and the sonographic margin and shape (P>0.05). However, PR (P=0.002) and ER (P=0.001) status were significantly correlated with posterior features on sonography. ER-positive patients were more likely to have indistinct or speculated masses on mammography (P=0.017). Irregular or oval masses on mammography were higher in patients with ER (p=0.032).

Conclusion: There was a significant correlation between PR and ER status and posterior features on sonography. Positive ER was associated with indistinct or speculated masses on mammography, as well as irregular or oval masses.

Keywords: Breast cancer; Estrogen receptor; Mammography; Progesterone receptor; Sonography.