As soon as you are diagnosed with breast cancer, a hormone receptor test will be performed on a sample of your tumour to find out whether or not your cancer is hormone receptor-positive (i.e. growing in response to hormones).

The test measures the presence of oestrogen and progesterone receptors in your tumour cells.

Whether or not you are offered hormonal therapy will depend on:

• The presence of hormone receptors in the cancer cells
• The size and spread of the cancer
• Your own personal preference.

If you have high levels of both oestrogen and progesterone receptors in your tumour, then it is likely that the risk of your cancer coming back will be reduced if you receive
hormonal therapy.

The more receptors you have, the more likely it is that hormonal therapy will work for you.

Your doctor may present you with your oestrogen and progesterone receptor levels as a percentage.

If you have a high percentage of oestrogen and progesterone receptors, your tumour is oestrogen receptor-positive as well as progesterone receptor-positive and will be called a hormone receptor-positive breast cancer. In this instance your tumour is very likely to respond well to hormonal therapy.

Learn about hormonal treatment and the menopause