Nuclear anaplasia of positive and negative hormonal receptor (estrogen and progesterone receptor) in breast cancer cytology

Background: Breast epithelial duct cells show response to sex hormone such as estrogen and progesterone since they have receptor for estrogen and progesterone. Consequently, malignant cells from breast epithelial ductuli (Breast Ductal Carcinoma) show positivity for estrogen and progesterone receptor (ER and PR). However, when this neoplasm becomes poorly differentiated, they lost these characteristics and became ER and PR negative. On the other hand, poorly differentiated cancer cells show more nuclear enlargement that was accompanied by increase nuclear pleomorphism. This study wants to compare area of breast cancer cells nuclei and nuclear pleiomorphism in positive and negative ER and PR.
Material and method: Positive and negative ER and PR breast cancer cases were collected from archive of Anatomic Pathology Department each consisting of ten to fourteen cases. Image analysis was made from each case to measure the area, diameter, and nuclear pleiomorphism.
Result and discussion: There were no differences in nuclear size and pleomorphism of breast cancer cells with positive and negative ER and PR. This result show that poorly differentiated cancer cells did not accompany by increase of nuclear anaplasia.
Conclusion: There is no difference of cancer cells morphology in positive and negative ER and PR. Hormonal status and anaplasia of cell nuclei can be used as independent prognostic factor to breast cancer progression.