Oestrogen receptor beta: what it means for patients with breast cancer

Abstract

Oestrogen receptor (ER) alpha is a well established prognostic marker in breast cancer, and all patients who are ER alpha positive receive tamoxifen as adjuvant endocrine therapy. Although ER alpha predicts a favourable disease outcome, the usefulness of ER beta as a clinical prognostic marker remains to be defined. Here, we outline the history of both ERs and discuss the implications ER beta has to patients with breast cancer.