Hormone receptors and other prognostic factors in breast cancer in Cuba

nosis showed that ER expression was greater in patients in the group aged >50 years (p <0.05). In general, ER expression was greater in patients in earlier clinical stages (p <0.05). With regard to HR expression, 53% of tumors in this sample were ER+ and 49% were PR+. In 38% of cases, both receptors were positive and in 28% both receptors proved negative. The ER+/PR− combination was observed in 23% of cases while only 11% exhibited the ER−/PR+ combination. These findings indicate that approximately 72% of the tumors studied expressed some level of hormone dependency. This is the first report of HR expression in Cuba using immunohistochemical techniques and a representative sample of breast tumors diagnosed in different provinces around the country.