Table 1

Molecular classification of breast carcinoma

Classification

Immunoprofile

Other characteristics

Example cell lines (adapted from [13,22])

Luminal A

ER⁺, PR^+/-, HER2^-

Ki67 low, endocrine responsive, often chemotherapy responsive

MCF-7, T47D, SUM185

Luminal B

ER⁺, PR^+/-, HER2⁺

Ki67 high, usually endocrine responsive, variable to chemotherapy. HER2⁺ are trastusumab responsive

BT474, ZR-75

Basal

ER^-, PR^-, HER2^-

EGFR⁺ and/or cytokeratin 5/6⁺, Ki67 high, endocrine nonresponsive, often chemotherapy responsive

MDA-MB-468, SUM190

Claudin-low

ER^-, PR^-, HER2^-

Ki67, E-cadherin, claudin-3, claudinin-4 and claudinin-7 low. Intermediate response to chemotherapy

BT549, MDA-MB-231, Hs578T, SUM1315

HER2

ER^-, PR^-, HER2⁺

Ki67 high, trastusumab responsive, chemotherapy responsive

SKBR3, MDA-MB-453

EGFR, epidermal growth factor receptor; ER, oestrogen receptor; HER2, human epidermal growth factor receptor 2; PR, progesterone receptor.

Holliday and Speirs Breast Cancer Research 2011 13:215   doi:10.1186/bcr2889