Histopathological and immunohistochemical characteristics of breast carcinomas in Uyo, subtropical region of Africa

Background: There is a relative dearth of data for immunohistochemical characteristics of breast carcinomas in cancer registries of Nigeria and some parts of Africa. A descriptive hospital based study, done over a year, involving three hospitals in Uyo rendering breast cancer care.Objective: To determine the immunohisto chemical-expression pattern of oestrogen receptor, progesterone receptor, and human epidermal receptor 2 and their relationship with histopathological features of invasive breast carcinomas in Uyo, Akwa Ibom State.Materials and methods: Each specimen with an accompanying completely filled coded proforma form containing clinical characteristics of patients with breast cancer was received at the Histopathology Department for subsequent histopathological and immunohistochemical analysis.Results: The age range for patients with breast carcinoma was 23 -70 years with a mean age at presentation of43.07 ± 11.19 years. Invasive ductal carcinoma was the commonest histological type accounting for 86.9 % of all breast cancer. Positivity for oestrogen receptors, progesterone receptors and Her-2 were seen in 18.0 %, 14.8 % and 32.8 % of breast carcinomas respectively. Majority of breast carcinomas were triple negative phenotype (62.3 %).Conclusion: Majority of the invasive breast carcinomas in our environment were triple negative phenotype (62.3 %).Keywords: Histopathological, Immunohistochemical Characteristics, Breast cancer, Uy