Purpose: To investigate correlations of estrogen receptor (ER), progesterone receptor(PR), and human epidermal growth factor receptor type 2 (HER2) statuses withmagnetic resonance imaging (MRI) features and clinicohistological characteristics inpatients with invasive lobular carcinoma (ILC).
Materials and Methods: Data from 64 histologically confirmed ILCs were analyzedretrospectively. Preoperative breast MRI was reviewed for morphology and dynamiccontrast-enhanced kinetics of the tumor. Pathologic reports were reviewed for ER,PR, and HER2 positivity, tumor size, lymph node metastasis, and the number ofmetastatic lymph nodes. Furthermore, there was an investigation of the MRI featuresand clinicohistologic characteristics, according to the ER, PR, and HER2 statuses.
Results: A significant difference in MRI features and clinicohistological tumorcharacteristics were observed only in relation to PR status. Of the 64 ILCs, 10 (15.6%)were PR negative. PR negative cancers, compared with PR positive cancers, weremore likely to present as non-mass enhancement (P = 0.027); have a significantlylarger mean tumor size (5.00 1.05 cm vs. 2.57 0.21 cm, P = 0.021); and havesignificantly more metastatic lymph nodes (P = 0.010).
Conclusion: PR negative ILC presented more frequently as non-mass enhancementon MRI, with larger tumors and increased numbers of metastatic lymph nodes.
Therefore, the PR status plays an important role in determining MRI features andclinicohistological characteristics of ILC.