Objectives: To investigate the expression of estrogen (ER), progesterone receptors (PR), nuclear factor- κ B (NF- κ B), and tumor necrosis factor- α (TNF- α ) in human breast cancer (BC), and the correlation of these four parameters with clinicopathological features of BC.
Methods and results: We performed an immunohistochemical SABC method for the identification of ER, PR, NF- κ B, and TNF- α expression in 112 patients with primary BC. The total positive expression rate of ER, PR, NF- κ B, and TNF- α was 67%, 76%, 84%, and 94%, respectively. The expressions of ER and PR were correlated with tumor grade, TNM stage, and lymph node metastasis (P < 0.01, resp.), but not with age, tumor size, histological subtype, age at menarche, menopause status, number of pregnancies, number of deliveries, and family history of cancer. Expressions of ER and PR were both correlated with NF- κ B and TNF- α expression (P < 0.05, resp.). Moreover, there was significant correlation between ER and PR (P < 0.0001) as well as between NF- κ B and TNF- α expression (P < 0.05).
Conclusion: PR and ER are highly expressed, with significant correlation with NF- κ B and TNF- α expression in breast cancer. The important roles of ER and PR in invasion and metastasis of breast cancer are probably associated with NF- κ B and TNF- α expression.