Natural history of estrogen receptor-negative, progesterone receptor-positive breast cancer

The biological significance of estrogen receptor-negative but progesterone receptor-positive breast carcinomas is not clear. In the present study the aggressiveness of breast carcinomas in relation to ER and PgR status has been investigated. The probability of disease-free survival in 297 node-negative breast carcinoma patients was monitored during a follow-up ranging from six to 96 months (median 45 months). Steroid hormone receptor content was assayed with the biochemical method recommended by the EORTC. The probability of disease-free survival was significantly worse for patients with ER-negative, PgR-positive carcinomas compared to the other three steroid hormone receptor phenotypes. Our results suggest that ER-negative, PgR-positive breast carcinomas are biologically different in terms of aggressiveness from the other steroid hormone receptor phenotypes.