AR (androgen recpetor) - Question on Lumpectomy Final Path

NSJ2

On my pathological diagnosis from my lumpectomy (letter from the NY path specialist), it reads:

DCIS cells are AR  (androgen receptor): positive strongly and diffusely (~100%)

Anyone know specifically what AR is and what it does?

BLinthedesert

androgens are just another "set" of hormones - the most well-known androgen is testosterone. 

Right now this has no clinical significance.  There has been some research that has looked at the possibility of androgen receptor blockers (similiar to tamoxifen, which blocks estrogen receptors) -- but this has not been established or used yet.  I personally think it because no one knows how many malignancies have this receptor - so its clinical utility is unclear (plus, they don't have a drug that would target this yet).

EDIT: I guess the first sentence in the second paragraph should read, "as of now AR status has no known clinical implication" -- just like HER2 (although there are studies/clinincal trials that are examining the role of targeted therapy in HER2+ DCIS - Herceptin).  This doesn't mean there won't be a clinical implication someday, currently AR status doesn't have any implication, in either treatment or prognosis.