Expressions of estrogen receptor and progesterone receptor in elderly breast cancer patients and its relationship with clinical pathology

Objective To study the expressions of estrogen receptor(ER)and progesterone receptor(PR)in elderly patients with breast cancer,and the correlation between their expressions and clinicopathological characteristics.Methods The expressions of ER and PR in 110 elderly patients with breast cancer(over 60 years old)from 1995 to 2004 were detected,and their clinical and pathological features were analyzed retrospectively.Another 110 patients aging 30 to 59 years with breast cancer served as control.Results Breast cancer in aged and non-elderly group had similar pathohistological types,but the aged had more tumors with low-grade malignant types.ER and PR were found to be over-expressed in elderly patients but not in the control.No obvious correlation was seen with clinical pathological stages.The expression levels of ER and PR in 0-3 positive nodes group was higher than ≥4 positive nodes group.Conclusion Elderly patients and non-elderly patients have similar pathohistological types of breast cancer.The former have higher expressions of ER and PR,and their expressions are associated with axillary lymph node status.