Immunohistochemical expression of FOXA1 and Androgen receptor in breast carcinoma in Upper Egypt

• Published in: SVU - International Journal of Medical Sciences
• Main Authors: Seham Abdelrazik Ismail Ismail, Sabah A.M. Fadel, Noha A. Aboulhagag, Mohammed M. Wahman
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: South Valley University, Faculty of Medicine 2024-07-01
• Subjects: forkhead box a1 foxa1; breast carcinoma androgen receptor
• Online Access: https://svuijm.journals.ekb.eg/article_359489.html

Background: Breast cancer is the most widespread cancer in women worldwide. Forkhead box A1 (FOXA1) is a forkhead family protein that is encoded by the FOXA1 gene. Recent studies suggest that during the development of cancers, FOXA1 may become an oncogene. Androgen receptor (AR) belongs to the steroid nuclear receptor-ligand-binding superfamily. Objectives: FOXA1 and AR immunohistochemical (IHC) expression in breast carcinoma showed potential as tumor-specific targets. Their correlation with different histopathological parameters and with each other were assessed. Patients and Methods: This was a retrospective analytical study carried out at Qena University Hospital from April 2021 to December 2022. The study included 65 formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded tissue blocks from different breast lesions obtained from the Pathology Department at Qena University Hospital. Results: There were highly statistically significant associations between FOXA1 Score and ER, PR, and Molecular Subtype (Luminal B-like Her2-ve), while the differences between FOXA1 Score and Molecular Subtypes (Her-2-enriched and Triple Negative) were statistically significant. There were statistically significant differences between AR score and ER, PR, and type of operation. Our research showed that AR and FOXA1 are strongly associated. Conclusion: Our results suggest that in Breast Carcinoma, the expression of FOXA1 has a strong association with the expression of AR. These findings have important clinical significance in selecting a subset of AR+ tumors that are suitable for anti-AR therapies. However, this requires further examination in more extensive cohort studies.