Clinical and X-ray characteristics for expressions of different receptors in patients with breast cancer.

Objectives: Clarifying the expression of breast cancer receptor is the key to clinical treatment for breast cancer. This study aims to explore the correlation between X-ray and clinical characteristics of 4 molecular subtypes and their receptor types of breast cancer.
Methods: A total of 439 breast cancer patients who confirmed by pathology and performed X-ray examination were enrolled. The X-ray and clinical characteristics of 4 molecular subtypes and the expression of their receptors were analyzed.
Results: Luminal A type showed the highest proportion of spiculate masses, and the lowest calcification score, showing significant difference with other 3 subtypes (all P <0.001). The age in the human epidermal growth factor 2 (HER2) overexpression type group was older, the proportions of menopause, the calcification score, and the calcification score with 9-12 were higher, the sizes of the tumor were greater in the HER2 overexpression type group than those in the other 3 molecular subtype groups (age P <0.05, the rest P <0.01). The proportions of regular shape, edge indistinct, and high-grade invasive ductal carcinoma in the triple-negative type group were higher than those in the other 3 molecular subtype groups (all P <0.001). The proportions of non-menopausal patients and spiculate tumors in the estrogen receptor (ER) positive and/or progesterone receptor (PR) positive groups were higher than those in both ER and PR negative group ( P <0.001 and P =0.001, respectively). The proportions of calcification fraction and high-grade invasive ductal carcinoma were higher, tumor sizes were greater in the HER2 positive group, Ki-67≥20% group than those in the HER2 negative group, Ki-67<20% group, respectively ( P <0.001 or P <0.05, respectively).
Conclusions: Four molecular subtypes of breast cancer and their receptor expressions are correlated with X-ray and clinical characteristics, which can provide a basis for clinical diagnosis and treatment.