Histopathological characteristics of breast carcinomas at the Olabisi Onabanjo University Teaching Hospital, Sagamu Ogun State, Nigeria

Abstract

This study examines the pathological grade as well as the estrogen progesterone receptor (ERPR) status in breast cancer materials from Olabisi Onabanjo University Teaching Hospital, Sagamu, Nigeria. All histopathologically diagnosed tissue samples from the department of Histopathology of the Olabisi Onabanjo University Teaching Hospital, Sagamu seen from January 2003 to December 2004 were examined and graded using the Elston and Ellis Modification of the Scarff-Bloom –Richardson grading system1 and stained for their estrogen/progesterone receptor status. Forty- seven cases of breast carcinoma were seen during the period under study. Of these, 44(93.7%) were invasive ductal carcinoma, with majority being poorly differentiated. Their ages ranged from 25-75 years with majority in the age group 40-59years. The mean age was 47.3 years. Of the 27 cases that had their ERPR status analyzed, 21 cases (77.8%) were ERPR negative, while only 3 (11.1%) were ERPR positive. This study shows that there is a predominance of high grade invasive ductal carcinomas that are likely to be ERPR negative. These features suggest a biologically aggressive form of breast cancer in Nigeria with the possibility of poor response to hormonal therapy. Nigerian Journal of Health and Biomedical Sciences Vol. 7 (1) 2008 pp. 23-26