AR Expression Correlates with Distinctive Clinicopathological and Genomic Features in Breast Cancer Regardless of ESR1 Expression Status

Androgen receptor (AR) expression is frequently observed in breast cancer, but its association with estrogen receptor (ER) expression in breast cancer remains unclear. This study analyzed the clinicopathological and molecular features associated with AR negativity in both ER-positive and ER-negative breast cancer, trying to elucidate the molecular correlation between AR and ER. Our results showed that AR negativity was associated with different clinicopathological characteristics and molecular features in ER-positive and ER-negative breast cancer. Moreover, AR-positive breast cancer has better clinicopathological features than AR-negative breast cancer, especially in the ER-negative subtype. These results suggest that the role of AR in ER-negative breast cancer is distinctive from that in ER-positive breast cancer.

Automated summary

This study analyzed the expression of androgen receptor (AR) in both estrogen receptor (ER)-positive and ER-negative breast cancer, and its association with clinicopathological and molecular features. The results showed that AR negativity was associated with different characteristics in ER-positive and ER-negative breast cancer. AR-positive breast cancer had better clinicopathological features, especially in the ER-negative subtype. These findings suggest a distinctive role of AR in ER-negative breast cancer compared to ER-positive breast cancer.