Objective:

To evaluate the association between androgen receptor (AR) expression and survival outcomes in ER+/HER2− breast cancer within a contemporary Chinese cohort.

Key Findings:

• Higher AR expression was significantly associated with prolonged disease-free survival (DFS).
• No significant association with overall survival (OS) was observed during the follow-up period.
• Baseline tumor T stage, progesterone receptor expression, and AR expression were independently associated with DFS.
• In patients treated with neoadjuvant chemotherapy who did not achieve pathological complete response (pCR), AR expression was also associated with DFS.

Interpretation:

AR expression may serve as a prognostic marker in ER+/HER2− breast cancer, particularly for DFS and in patients with residual disease post-neoadjuvant chemotherapy.

Limitations:

• The study is retrospective and conducted at a single center, which may limit generalizability.
• Short follow-up period may not capture long-term survival outcomes.

Conclusion:

AR expression could have prognostic value in ER+/HER2− breast cancer, warranting further prospective studies with extended follow-up.