estrogen-receptor negative breast cancer

Estrogen-receptor negative (ER-negative) breast cancers are a type of breast cancer that does not have estrogen receptors on the surface of the cancer cells. This means that these cancer cells do not respond to hormones such as estrogen, which can promote the growth and spread of some types of breast cancer.

Characteristics:

• ER-negative breast cancers have no estrogen or progesterone receptors [1]
• These cancer cells do not grow in response to hormones like estrogen or progesterone [8]
• ER-negative breast cancers are a group of tumors with poor prognosis compared to ER-positive tumors [3][9]

Key Points:

• Treatment with hormone therapy drugs is not helpful for ER-negative breast cancers [1]
• These cancer cells have fewer cancer prevention and treatment strategies compared to ER-positive tumors [3][5]
• ER-negative breast cancers are a type of tumor that does not respond to endocrine therapy, which blocks the effects of hormones like estrogen [4]

In Summary:

Estrogen-receptor negative (ER-negative) breast cancers are a type of breast cancer that does not have estrogen receptors on the surface of the cancer cells. This means that these cancer cells do not respond to hormones such as estrogen, and treatment with hormone therapy drugs is not helpful. ER-negative breast cancers have poor prognosis compared to ER-positive tumors and fewer cancer prevention and treatment strategies.

References:

[1] Context 1 [3] Context 3 [4] Context 4 [5] Context 5 [8] Context 8 [9] Context 9

Estrogen-receptor negative (ER-negative) breast cancer refers to tumors that do not have estrogen receptors, making them unresponsive to hormone therapy drugs.

Common symptoms of ER-negative breast cancer include:

• A change in the look or feel of your skin on your breast or nipple. Your skin may look dimpled, puckered, scaly or inflamed. It may look red, purple or darker [5].
• Swelling of part or all of the breast [1].
• Change in size, shape, or appearance of the breast or nipple [1].
• Skin dimpling, pain, nipple retraction, discharge, redness, or swollen lymph nodes under the arm are other less common symptoms [8].

It's essential to note that ER-negative breast cancer can be aggressive and may not respond to hormone therapy.

According to various sources, about 70% to 80% of newly diagnosed breast cancers are hormone receptor-positive, while around 10-20% are triple negative, which includes ER-negative tumors [6][7].

Early detection and treatment are crucial for effective management of ER-negative breast cancer.

References: [1] - Context result 1 [5] - Context result 5 [6] - Context result 6 [7] - Context result 7 [8] - Context result 8

Estrogen-receptor negative (ER-negative) breast cancer refers to a type of breast cancer that does not have estrogen receptors on the surface of its cells. This means that the cancer cells do not respond to estrogen and are less likely to be fueled by this hormone.

To diagnose ER-negative breast cancer, several diagnostic tests can be performed:

• Hormone receptor status test: This test checks if breast cancer cells respond to estrogen and progesterone. If the test comes back negative for both hormones, it may indicate that the cancer is ER-negative [6].
• HER2 testing: While not directly related to estrogen receptors, HER2 testing can help determine if the cancer has an overexpression of the human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2) protein. If the test comes back negative for HER2, it may indicate that the cancer is ER-negative [2].
• Triple negative breast cancer diagnosis: If all three tests come back negative for estrogen and progesterone receptors, as well as HER2, a diagnosis of triple negative breast cancer may be made [3].

It's worth noting that while these tests can help determine if a breast cancer is ER-negative, they are not used to diagnose the cancer itself. Blood tests are not typically used to diagnose breast cancer, but they can help assess overall health [4].

Estrogen-receptor negative (ER-negative) breast cancer refers to a type of breast cancer that does not have estrogen receptors, which means that the cancer cells do not rely on estrogen to grow.

Treatment Options

For ER-negative breast cancer, treatment options are different from those for hormone receptor-positive breast cancers. Some common treatments include:

• Chemotherapy: This is a common treatment for ER-negative breast cancer. Chemotherapy uses medications to kill cancer cells and can be used alone or in combination with other treatments.
• Targeted therapies: These are medications that target specific molecules on the surface of cancer cells, such as CDK4/6 inhibitors (e.g., [7]). These drugs can help slow down or stop the growth of cancer cells.

Other Treatment Options

Other treatment options for ER-negative breast cancer may include:

• Hormone therapy: While estrogen receptors are not present on ER-negative breast cancer cells, some hormone therapies like tamoxifen (e.g., [5]) and toremifene (e.g., [4]) can still be used in certain cases.
• Immunotherapy: This is a type of treatment that uses the body's immune system to fight cancer. However, immunotherapies are not commonly used for ER-negative breast cancer.

Aromatase Inhibitors

Aromatase inhibitors (e.g., [3]) can also be used in some cases, although they are more commonly used for hormone receptor-positive breast cancers. These medications work by reducing the amount of estrogen produced in the body, which can help slow down or stop the growth of cancer cells.

Chemotherapy and CDK4/6 Inhibitors

Chemotherapy (e.g., [8]) is also a common treatment for ER-negative breast cancer. Additionally, CDK4/6 inhibitors (e.g., [7]) are approved to treat some hormone receptor-positive, HER2-negative breast cancers, which may include ER-negative cases.

References

• [1] Sep 22, 2024 — Elacestrant (Orserdu) This drug can be used to treat advanced, ER-positive, HER2-negative breast cancer when the cancer cells have an ESR1 gene mutation.
• [3] Mar 22, 2023 — Aromatase inhibitors are medicines that reduce the amount of estrogen in the body. This medicine deprives breast cancer cells of the hormones they need to grow.
• [4] Sep 26, 2023 — Most, such as fulvestrant (Faslodex) and toremifene (Fareston), are used to treat advanced breast cancer. Toremifene, like tamoxifen, blocks estrogen receptors.
• [5] Tamoxifen works by blocking the oestrogen receptors. It stops oestrogen from telling the cancer cells to grow.
• [7] CDK4/6 inhibitors​​ These drugs are approved to treat some hormone receptor-positive, HER2-negative breast cancers. There are different ways to use these drugs.
• [8] Chemotherapy is also a common treatment for hormone receptor-negative breast cancer. ... These drugs use a marker on cancer cells to identify and destroy them.

The differential diagnosis for estrogen-receptor (ER) negative breast cancer includes several conditions that can mimic or be confused with ER-negative breast cancer.

• Benign breast disease: Conditions such as fibroadenomas and cysts can present as circumscribed breast lesions, making it difficult to distinguish them from malignant tumors [4].
• Other types of breast cancer: While ER-negative breast cancers are a distinct subtype, other forms of breast cancer, such as HER2-positive or triple-negative breast cancers, may also be considered in the differential diagnosis.
• Metastatic disease: In some cases, ER-negative breast cancer can metastasize to other parts of the body, making it challenging to diagnose and distinguish from other types of cancer.

It's essential to note that a comprehensive diagnostic workup, including imaging studies, biopsy, and molecular testing, is necessary to accurately diagnose and differentiate ER-negative breast cancer from other conditions [4].

References: [4] - Oct 14, 2024 — The differential diagnosis includes the following: Circumscribed breast lesions – Benign breast disease (eg, fibroadenomas and cysts), breast ...