Presentation of the Molecular Subtypes of Breast Cancer Detected By Immunohistochemistry in Surgically Treated Patients

Borislav Kondov; Zvonko Milenkovikj; Goran Kondov; Gordana Petrushevska; Neli Basheska; Magdalena Bogdanovska-Todorovska; Natasha Tolevska; Ljube Ivkovski

doi:10.3889/oamjms.2018.231

Presentation of the Molecular Subtypes of Breast Cancer Detected By Immunohistochemistry in Surgically Treated Patients

Open Access Maced J Med Sci. 2018 Jun 6;6(6):961-967. doi: 10.3889/oamjms.2018.231. eCollection 2018 Jun 20.

Authors

Borislav Kondov¹, Zvonko Milenkovikj², Goran Kondov¹, Gordana Petrushevska³, Neli Basheska⁴, Magdalena Bogdanovska-Todorovska³, Natasha Tolevska¹, Ljube Ivkovski⁵

Affiliations

¹ University Clinic for Thoracic and Vascular Surgery, Medical Faculty, Ss Cyril and Methodius University of Skopje, Skopje, Republic of Macedonia.
² University Clinic for Infectious Disease and Febrile Conditions, Ss Cyril and Methodius University of Skopje, Skopje, Republic of Macedonia.
³ Institute of Pathology, Medical Faculty, Ss Cyril and Methodius University of Skopje, Skopje, Republic of Macedonia.
⁴ Laboratory for Cytology and Pathology, University Clinic of Oncology and Radiotherapy, Medical Faculty, Ss Cyril and Methodius University of Skopje, Skopje, Republic of Macedonia.
⁵ PZU Histolab, Skopje, Republic of Macedonia.

Abstract

Introduction: The detection of estrogen, progesterone and HER-2 neu receptors on the surface of the tumour cell is a significant prognostic factor, alone or in combination. The presence or absence of receptors on the surface of the tumour cell is associated with the conditional gene expression in the tumour cell itself. Based on these genetically determined expressions of the tumour cell, five molecular subtypes of breast cancer have been classified on the St. Gallen International Expert Consensus in 2011 that can be immunohistochemically detected, with each subtype manifesting certain prognosis and aggression.

Aim: Analyzing the presentation of molecular subtypes of breast cancer that are immunohistochemically detected in surgically treated patients at the Clinic for Thoracic and Vascular Surgery.

Material and methods: We used the international classification on molecular subtypes of breast cancer which divides them into: Luminal A (ER+ and/or PR+, HER-2 negative, Ki-67 < 14%), Luminal B with HER-2 negative (ER+ and/or PR+, HER-2 negative, Ki-67 ≥ 14%), Luminal B with HER-2 positive (ER+ and/or PR+, HER-2+, any Ki-67), HER-2 enriched (ER-, PR-, HER-2+), and basal-like (triple negative) (ER-, PR-, HER-2 negative, CK5/6+ and/or EGFR+). A total of 290 patients, surgically treated for breast cancer, were analysed during 2014.

Results: In our analysis, we found that Luminal A was present in 77 (26.55%) patients, Luminal B HER-2 negative was present in 91 (31.38%) patients, Luminal B HER-2 positive was present in 70 (24.14%) patients, HER-2 enriched was present in 25 (8.62%) patients and basal-like (or triple negative) was present in 27 (9.31%) patients.

Conclusion: Detecting the subtype of breast cancer is important for evaluating the prognosis of the disease, but also for determining and providing an adequate therapy. Therefore, determining the subtype of breast cancer is necessary for the routine histopathological assay.

Keywords: HER-2 enriched; Luminal A; Luminal B HER-2 negative; Luminal B HER-2 positive; Subtypes of breast cancer; Triple-negative.