Breast cancer clinically represents a heterogeneous disease. Over decades, the integration of prognostic and predictive markers in treatment decisions has led to a more individualized and optimized therapy. Prognosis describes the risk of disease recurrence and disease-related death after diagnosis without the influence of therapy and prediction illustrates the probability of efficacy or response of a specific therapeutic measure.

The present study evaluated the clinical significance of Ki-67 index, ER, PGR, cerb-2 and Her2 receptors as prognostic markers and predictors of recurrence in different molecular subtypes of breast cancer. We analyzed the relationship of these receptors with different clinicopathological factors.

We have processed samples from 130 patients hospitalized in the Surgery Department III of the Bucharest Institute of Oncology. Biological samples have been taken by breast biopsy punctures or by excision of the tumors and analyzed them histopathologically and immunohistochemically.

Improved understanding of breast cancer biology and genetics together with the utilization of classical biomarkers and the identification of new markers or profiles is increasingly defining the clinical decisions are to be made to minimize overtreatment, undertreatment, and incorrect treatment.