The identification of biomarkers on cancer tissue samples could be obtained through several technologies. In this setting, the immunohistochemistry and in situ hybridization are accessible in most pathology laboratories. Particularly, immunohistochemistry can be used not only for diagnostic issues, but also to define prognostic classes and to define response to specific therapies. Particularly the last applications have been firstly developed in the breast cancer pathology. In addition, the development of molecular classification proposed some prognostic/predictive classes that could be easily defined by immunohistochemistry. Thus, the role of the pathologists has become increasingly important in the definition of prognosis and in the choice therapy, because the immunohistochemical biomarkers are used to guide treatment, to classify breast cancer into biologically and prognostically distinct subtypes. In this review, we will provide information on the current application of the immunohistochemical biomarkers useful in the management of breast cancer patients. Moreover, we consider the application of immunohistochemistry in the definition of the most promising biomarkers derived from molecular studies of the breast cancer, that in the future could integrate the characterization of breast cancer into clinical practice.

可以通过多种技术鉴定癌症组织样本上的生物标志物。在这种情况下，大多数病理学实验室都可以进行免疫组织化学和原位杂交。特别是，免疫组织化学不仅可用于诊断问题，还可用于定义预后类别和定义对特定疗法的反应。特别是最后的应用首先在乳腺癌病理学中得到发展。此外，分子分类的发展提出了一些可以通过免疫组织化学轻松定义的预后/预测类别。因此，病理学家的作用在预后的定义和选择治疗中变得越来越重要，因为免疫组织化学生物标志物被用来指导治疗，将乳腺癌分为生物学和预后不同的亚型。在这篇综述中，我们将提供有关免疫组织化学生物标志物在乳腺癌患者管理中的当前应用的信息。此外，我们考虑将免疫组织化学应用于定义源自乳腺癌分子研究的最有希望的生物标志物，未来可以将乳腺癌的表征整合到临床实践中。