MAMMAGLOBIN EXPRESSION AND ITS ASSOCIATION WITH HORMONE RECEPTOR STATUS AND CLINICOPATHOLOGICAL CHARACTERISTICS IN INVASIVE BREAST CARCINOMA: IMMUNOHISTOCHEMICAL STUDY

Abstract

Background

Breast cancer is a biologically heterogeneous malignancy, and reliable tissue biomarkers are needed to improve prognostic assessment. Mammaglobin, a breast-specific glycoprotein, has emerged as a promising immunohistochemical marker; however, evidence regarding its clinicopathological significance in Indian patients remains limited. The present study evaluated mammaglobin expression and its association with hormone receptor status and established clinicopathological parameters in invasive breast carcinoma.

Methods

This hospital-based cross-sectional study included 52 consecutive patients with histopathologically confirmed invasive ductal carcinoma (no special type) who underwent modified radical mastectomy between July 2024 and December 2025. Mammaglobin, estrogen receptor (ER), progesterone receptor (PR), and HER2 expression were assessed by immunohistochemistry. Associations between mammaglobin expression and clinicopathological variables were analyzed using the Chi-square test or Fisher's exact test, with p<0.05 considered statistically significant.

Results

Mammaglobin expression was observed in 31 of 52 tumors (59.6%). Positive expression showed a significant inverse association with histological grade, being more frequent in Grade II than Grade III tumors (80.0% vs. 46.9%; p=0.022). Mammaglobin positivity was also significantly associated with ER positivity (81.8% vs. 43.3%; p=0.009) and PR positivity (82.4% vs. 48.6%; p=0.034). No significant associations were identified with age, tumor size, lymphovascular invasion, lymph node status, or HER2 expression (all p>0.05).

Conclusion

Mammaglobin expression is significantly associated with lower histological grade and hormone receptor positivity in invasive breast carcinoma, supporting its role as a complementary immunohistochemical biomarker of favorable tumor biology. Although it was not associated with HER2 status or other clinicopathological variables, mammaglobin may provide additional prognostic information when interpreted alongside established pathological markers. Larger multicenter studies are warranted to validate its clinical utility.