gms | German Medical Science

50. Jahrestagung der Deutschen Gesellschaft für Medizinische Informatik, Biometrie und Epidemiologie (gmds)
12. Jahrestagung der Deutschen Arbeitsgemeinschaft für Epidemiologie (dae)

Deutsche Gesellschaft für Medizinische Informatik, Biometrie und Epidemiologie
Deutsche Arbeitsgemeinschaft für Epidemiologie

12. bis 15.09.2005, Freiburg im Breisgau

Factors influencing receptor states in breast cancer patients – Results from a German population-based case-control study

Meeting Abstract

  • Christiane Barbara Pierl - BGFA, Bochum
  • Hans-Peter Fischer - Institut für Pathologie, Universitätsklinikum, Bonn
  • Volker Harth - BGFA, Bochum
  • Yon Ko - Johanniter-Krankenhaus, Bonn
  • Hiltrud Brauch - Dr. Margarete Fischer-Bosch-Institut für Klinische Pharmakologie, Stuttgart
  • Ute Hamann - Deutsches Krebsforschungszentrum, Heidelberg
  • Christina Justenhoven - Dr. Margarete Fischer-Bosch-Institut für Klinische Pharmakologie, Stuttgart
  • Thomas Brüning - BGFA, Bochum
  • Beate Pesch - BGFA, Bochum

Deutsche Gesellschaft für Medizinische Informatik, Biometrie und Epidemiologie. Deutsche Arbeitsgemeinschaft für Epidemiologie. 50. Jahrestagung der Deutschen Gesellschaft für Medizinische Informatik, Biometrie und Epidemiologie (gmds), 12. Jahrestagung der Deutschen Arbeitsgemeinschaft für Epidemiologie. Freiburg im Breisgau, 12.-15.09.2005. Düsseldorf, Köln: German Medical Science; 2005. Doc05gmds125

The electronic version of this article is the complete one and can be found online at: http://www.egms.de/en/meetings/gmds2005/05gmds116.shtml

Published: September 8, 2005

© 2005 Pierl et al.
This is an Open Access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/3.0/deed.en). You are free: to Share – to copy, distribute and transmit the work, provided the original author and source are credited.


Outline

Text

Background

Expresssions of oestrogen receptor (ER), progesterone receptor (PR), and human epidermal growth factor receptor-2 (HER2) in malignant breast tumours are relevant prognostic and therapeutical markers. Little is known about reproductive, lifestyle, and socio-demographic factors determining receptor states.

Methods

The Interdisciplinary Study Group on Gene-Environment Interaction and Breast Cancer in Germany (GENICA) conducted a population-based case-control study in the Bonn area. Among incident cases, we analyzed potential predictors of ER, PR, and HER2. The median age of the cases was 59 years (range 23 - 80 years). Epidemiological data were obtained in interviews by trained staff. Receptor states were determined immunohistochemically by standard methodology. ER states were available for N=517, PR states for N=509, and HER2 states for N=381 women. We calculated odds ratios (OR) and 95% confidence intervals (CI) for a receptor positive outcome using conditional logistic regression models. Potential confounders were selected according to literature.

Results and Conclusion

ER positive tumours were found in 78.0%, PR positive in 67.0%, and HER2 positive tumours in 31.5% of the breast cancer cases. Older age was associated with a positive ER and PR state. Current use of hormone therapy (HT) strongly affected ER positivity (OR 3.31, 95% CI 1.59 – 6.88). Parity of three and more children halved the risk for a HER2 positive state (OR 0.48, 95% CI 0.25 – 0.93). Breast cancer in mother or sister exclusively affected the PR positivity (OR 2.26, 95% CI 1.01 – 5.08). Our results support evidence that steroid receptor positive breast tumours increase with age after menopause and HT use.