What is the role of receptor status in guiding systemic therapy?

• A. Receptor status guides systemic therapy decisions (ER/PR/HER2)
• B. Receptor status is not used in planning systemic therapy
• C. Receptor status dictates surgical approach only
• D. Receptor status determines imaging technique only

Answer: (A)

Receptor status tells you how a breast cancer tumor is driven and which systemic therapies are most likely to work. If a tumor is estrogen receptor (ER) and/or progesterone receptor (PR) positive, it tends to respond to endocrine therapies that block hormone signaling or lower hormone levels, such as tamoxifen, aromatase inhibitors, or other SERDs. If it is HER2 positive, it benefits from HER2-targeted treatments like trastuzumab and related agents that specifically inhibit the HER2 pathway. If the tumor lacks all three receptors (often called triple-negative), targeted endocrine or HER2 therapies aren’t options, so systemic therapy relies on chemotherapy and clinical trials. This receptor-driven approach applies in both early-stage and advanced disease, guiding decisions about neoadjuvant or adjuvant therapy and the choice of regimens in metastatic settings. Receptor status doesn’t determine imaging techniques or the surgical plan, but it directly informs which systemic therapies are likely to be beneficial.