PT  - JOURNAL ARTICLE
AU  - K Collett
AU  - F Hartveit
AU  - R Skjaerven
AU  - B O Maehle
TI  - Prognostic role of oestrogen and progesterone receptors in patients with breast cancer: relation to age and lymph node status.
AID  - 10.1136/jcp.49.11.920
DP  - 1996 Nov 01
TA  - Journal of Clinical Pathology
PG  - 920--925
VI  - 49
IP  - 11
4099  - http://jcp.bmj.com/content/49/11/920.short
4100  - http://jcp.bmj.com/content/49/11/920.full
SO  - J Clin Pathol1996 Nov 01; 49
AB  - AIMS: To consider the prognostic role of oestrogen receptor and progesterone receptor status in relation to the age at surgery, length of follow up and lymph node status. METHODS: The study population comprised 977 patients with histologically confirmed breast carcinoma, with a median follow up of nine years. The actuarial life table method was used to test for survival differences. The Cox proportional hazard model was used to test for interaction effects between each hormone receptor and age, lymph node status and length of follow up. As the analysis involved multiple subgroups, significance was set at the 1% level (p < 0.01). RESULTS: When the patients were subdivided into groups according to lymph node status and age, progesterone and oestrogen receptor status predicted prognosis in middle aged (46-60 years) patients with lymph node positive breast cancer. Their prognostic effect in this subgroup, however, was restricted to the first five years after surgery. Progesterone receptor status was the strongest predictor of outcome. CONCLUSION: The prognostic power of oestrogen and progesterone receptor status varies depending on age, lymph node status and length of follow up after surgery.