CLINICAL RELEVANCE OF HORMONAL RECEPTOR EXPRESSION IN BREAST CANCER: AN IMMUNOHISTOCHEMICAL STUDY FROM TRIPOLI, LIBYA
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.15407/exp-oncology.2025.03.338Keywords:
breast cancer, immunohistochemistry, hormone receptors, HER2, Ki-67, LibyaAbstract
Background. Breast cancer (BC) is the most frequently diagnosed malignancy among women in Libya; however, limited data are available on the immunohistochemical (IHC) profiles of BC in the region. This study aimed to characterize BC cases in Western Libya based on clinical, pathological, and IHC features. Materials and Methods. Thirty formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded BC tissue samples were collected from the patients at the National Cancer Institute in Sabratha, Libya, between January and April 2024. IHC staining for estrogen receptor (ER), progesterone receptor (PR), human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2), and Ki-67 was performed. Results. Patients’ age ranged from 24 to 63 years (mean 44.60 ± 10.23), with the 44—53-year group being the most frequent (33%). Invasive ductal carcinoma was the most common subtype (74%), especially grade 3 (47%). Most tumors were ER-positive (78.6%), PR-positive (67.9%), and HER2-negative (67.9%), with low Ki-67 expression in 53.6% of cases. HER2 score 0 was most prevalent (40%). Mean PR expression was the highest in grade 2 tumors (53.0 ± 32.2), whereas Ki-67 in grade 3 tumors (51.1 ± 29.7). Significant associations were found between ER status and mean corpuscular hemoglobin (p = 0.039) and mastectomy status and mean cell hemoglobin concentration (p = 0.031). Conclusion. The findings highlight the predominance of hormone receptor-positive and HER2-negative tumors in this Libyan cohort.
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