https://orcid.org/0000-0003-3647-5262
Abstract
Background
The expression of estrogen and progesterone receptors (ER and PR) and human epidermal growth factor receptor-2 (HER2) has been reported to have an invaluable prognostic role. The aim of this study was to determine the expression of ER, PR and HER2 in women with breast cancer (BC) in Kampala, Uganda.
Methods
Expression of ER, PR and HER2 was determined immunohistochemically. Logistic regression was performed to determine the effect of the independent factors in predicting the risk of not expressing the breast markers. A two-tailed p<0.05 was regarded to be statistically significant.
Results
ER, PR and HER2 were expressed in 53.4%, 46.6% and 18.5%, respectively. ER and PR co-expression was present in 42.7% and 37.9% patients had triple negative breast cancer (TNBC). Age was an independent predictor of expression of ER (AOR = 0.18, 95% CI = 0.062–0.541, p = 0.002) and PR (AOR = 0.35, 95% CI = 0.129–0.968, p = 0.043).
Conclusion
The majority of patients in this study had less than 50 years with high tumour grade. Interestingly, most of them had high expression of HER2 with TNBC which are molecular subtypes of BC with poor prognosis. Age was an independent predictor of expression of both ER and PR.
Data Sharing Statement
The datasets used in this study are available from the corresponding author and they may be provided when requested.
Ethics Approval
All procedures performed in this study were in accordance with the ethical standards of the Ethics Committee of Makerere College of Health Sciences (MakCHS).
Consent to Participate
Written consent for us to use the FFPE tissue blocks was obtained from the patients and it has been kept for review by the editor-in-chief if needed. Patient consent was also informed consent, and this study was conducted in accordance with the Declaration of Helsinki.
Acknowledgments
We thank Mr. Peres for performing IHC staining and also Mr. Noel Namuhani for working with statistics.
Author Contributions
All authors made substantial contributions to conception and design, acquisition of data, or analysis and interpretation of data; took part in drafting the article or revising it critically for important intellectual content; agreed on the journal to which the article will be submitted; gave final approval of the version to be published; and agree to be accountable for all aspects of the work.
Disclosure
The authors declare that they have no competing interests.