Hormonal Receptor and HER2 Status Primary Breast Tumors and Paired Nodal Metastases: Discordance and Prognosis

Breast cancer is one of the most common causes of cancer-related deaths worldwide. The prediction of clinical outcome and the selection of patients for adjuvant therapy are currently based on prognostic factors [age, hormone receptor status, human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2) expression, tumor size, and lymph node involvement] according to international guidelines (Cinieri et al., 2007). Among these factors, the number of metastatic axillary lymph nodes is the most powerful prognostic factor (Nemoto et al., 1980). Axillary lymph node metastasis is affected by many factors, and the factors interact. The presence of axillary lymph node metastasis determines the prognosis of patients, affects the treatment options, well as the attitude of patients.The incidence of lymph node metastases is affected by chronic disease, scale of tumor, age, ER expression and pathologic diagnosis (Li et al., 2012). Moreover, survival after relapse is reduced in node-