Immuno-histochemical profile and demographic pattern of breast cancer patients at a tertiary hospital, Ondo state, south western Nigeria

Okunnuga NA; Alegbeleye B; Ologunagba P; Okunnuga A; Ayadi A; Kolawole O

doi:10.61386/imj.v19i2.1062

Authors

Okunnuga NA Department of Radiation and Clinical Oncology, University of Medical Science Teaching Hospital, Akure, Ondo state, Nigeria
Alegbeleye B Department of Surgery, University of Medical Science Teaching Hospital, Akure, Ondo State
Ologunagba P Department of Pathology, Federal Medical Center, owo, Ondo State
Okunnuga A Department of Histopathology, Federal Teaching Hospital, Ido Ekiti, Ekiti State
Ayadi A Department of Family Medicine, University of Medical Science Teaching Hospital, Akure, Ondo State
Kolawole O Department of Surgery, University of Medical Science Teaching Hospital, Akure, Ondo State

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.61386/imj.v19i2.1062

Keywords:

Immunohistochemistry, Breast, Patient, Tertiary

Abstract

Background: Breast cancer is still the most common cancer among women. It is the commonest cause of cancer death. The diagnosis of breast cancer is very important. Immunohistochemistry (IHC) is a pathological technique that displays the tissue component by the interaction of target antigens with specific antibodies tagged with a visible label. IHC is an important diagnostic and prognostic tool in breast cancer diagnosis and treatment. It complements the routine histopathology and further helps in accurate tumour and molecular subtype classification of breast cancer.

Objectives: The study aims to determine the immunohistochemical classification of carcinomas of the breast based on the estrogen, progesterone, and HER2 neu receptors status, and also to review the socio-demographic factors associated with them in our center.

Materials and methods: This was a retrospective cross sectional analysis of 178 histologically confirmed diagnosed breast cancer cases for which estrogen, progesterone, and HER2 status data were available at the Surgery and Oncology outpatient unit of the tertiary hospital in Akure, Ondo state. Relevant bio data, pathology, and immunohistochemical information of all the patients with histologically confirmed breast cancer were extracted from the patients’ case files.

Result: The mean age was 49.08 ± 0.9years. The age of the patients ranged from 23 to 78 years. There were 175 (98.3%) females and 3 (1.7%) males. Estrogen, progesterone and HER 2neu positive breast cancers were; 49 (27.5%), 38(21.3%) and 57(32%) respectively. Triple negative breast cancer (TNBC) was the most prevalent type, 87 (48.9%), followed by HER2 type 39 (21.9%) and Luminal B 27(15.2%), while Luminal A 25 (14%) was the least common molecular subtype in our review. There was no significant association between the sociodemographic factors and molecular subtype.

Conclusions: The TNBC is the most common type of breast cancer seen in our setting.