RESUMO
One hundred and three consecutive cases of breast cancer in Trinidadian women were evaluated for steriod receptor status and c-erB-2 receptor along with conventional parameters including age, ethnicity, tumour size, histological type and grade, and lymph node status: The molecular markers were studied by immunohistochemistry (IHC) on paraffin sections. Tumour size > 2 cm was seen in 60 percent of the cases. Oestrogen receptor (ER), progestrone receptor (PR) and c-erbB-2 showed 54 percent, 46 percent, and 63 percent positivity, respectively. There was no correlation between c-erbB-2 and steroid receptors. Forty-one percent of cases showed double negativity for steriod receptors (ER-/PR-). No correlation was found between the markers and conventional parameters except for a negative correlation with the tumour grade. The high percentage of c-erbB-2 positivity and the high propotion of steriod receptor negativity suggest a need for studies on adjuvant therapy. Integration of selected markers with conventional parameters could help define sub-groups for treatment and pragnosis (AU)