“AR”e We Ignoring the Role of Androgen Receptor (AR) in Breast Carcinomas?

Abstract

Introduction:

Breast cancer, now more prevalent than lung cancer, is the most commonly diagnosed cancer globally, impacting 1 in 8 individuals and causing 2.3 million new diagnoses each year. The androgen receptor (AR) governs gene transcription, influencing differentiation, proliferation, apoptosis, and angiogenesis. Delving into AR signaling may offer opportunities to explore alternative therapeutic targets crucial for overcoming medication resistance and maximizing clinical advantages in treating breast cancer.

Aim:

To study AR expression across different subtypes of breast cancer and to determine its significance by establishing correlations with clinicopathological parameters.

Methods:

AR immunohistochemistry was conducted on 300 breast cancer patients, and its expression was analyzed in conjunction with diverse clinicopathological parameters.

Results:

Out of the 300 breast carcinoma patients examined, AR expression was observed in 193 patients. A statistically significant correlation was noted between AR expression and various clinical and histomorphological factors like age, breast biomarker status, Ki-67 proliferation index, histological grade, intrinsic subtype, and nodal metastasis.

Conclusion:

In the current study, 64.3% of patients exhibited positivity for AR. Among the 4 markers assessed (estrogen receptor, progesterone receptor, HER2 (ERBB2), and AR), AR displayed the highest frequency of expression, being positive in 193 patients (64.3%). These findings suggest that AR assessment may have potential utility, particularly in triple-negative breast cancer, and merit further prospective evaluation.