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Evaluation of the prognostic significance of androgen receptor expression in metastatic breast cancer

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Abstract

The purpose of this study was to investigate the influence of androgen receptor (AR) expression in tumour tissue on survival of patients with metastatic breast cancer. Tumour specimens from 232 patients with metastatic breast cancer were examined for presence of AR by immunohistochemistry. According to the extent of immunostaining, AR expression was classified as score 0, 1+, 2+, or 3+. AR positivity was observed in 164 (70.7%) tumours. The median survival after disease recurrence (SAR) of patients with AR-expressing tumours was significantly longer compared to that of patients with AR-negative tumours (21.89 months, 95% CI 17.23–26.55 vs 11.99 months, 95% CI 9.36–14.62; log-rank test 0.0282). In addition, patients with AR score 3+ had a significantly longer disease-free survival (DFS) compared to patients with AR score 0, 1+, and 2+, (24.67 months, 95% CI 13.72–35.62 vs 16.36 months, 95% CI 13.18–19.54, log-rank test 0.0043). Multivariate Cox analyses showed no statistically significant influence of AR expression on DFS or SAR. In conclusion, SAR is significantly longer in patients with AR-expressing breast carcinoma. However, AR expression is not an independent prognostic factor for SAR in metastatic breast cancer.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Division of Oncology, Department of Internal Medicine, Medical University of Graz, Auenbruggerplatz 15, 8036, Graz, Austria

    Walter Schippinger, Nadia Dandachi, Thomas Bauernhofer & Hellmut Samonigg

  2. Institute of Pathology, Medical University Graz, 8036, Graz, Austria

    Peter Regitnig & Farid Moinfar

  3. Institute of Medical Biometry, Humboldt University of Berlin, 13344, Berlin, Germany

    Klaus-Dieter Wernecke

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  1. Walter Schippinger
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  2. Peter Regitnig
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  3. Nadia Dandachi
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  4. Klaus-Dieter Wernecke
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  5. Thomas Bauernhofer
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  6. Hellmut Samonigg
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  7. Farid Moinfar
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Correspondence to Walter Schippinger.

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Schippinger, W., Regitnig, P., Dandachi, N. et al. Evaluation of the prognostic significance of androgen receptor expression in metastatic breast cancer. Virchows Arch 449, 24–30 (2006). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00428-006-0213-6

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00428-006-0213-6

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