Objective: Androgens and androgen receptors (AR) are involved in breast cancer (BC) pathogenesis. High testosterone serum levels increase the risk of developing mainly ER + BC, especially after menopause, although androgen role in tumor progression is not clearly elucidated. Method: Correlations between serum sex hormones and clinico-pathological features of 131 BC arisen among 10,786 women previously recruited for ORDET study were investigated. Prediagnostic estradiol, testosterone (free/total) and SHBG serum levels were available. Immunohistochemistry for AR was evaluated along with ER, PR, HER-2 and MIB-1. Results: AR + was found in 90.8 % of BC. Higher estradiol (p=0.0001), free testosterone (p=0.02) and SHBG (p=0.02) were seen in premenopausal patients. In dead patients higher free testosterone was observed (p=0.0003). No correlation was found for hormone levels vs stage, histotype and grade. Higher SHBG was seen in PR-rich tumours (p=0.02). HER-2+/ER-cases showed a trend for a higher total testosterone (p=0.18) and SHBG (p=0.2). Testosterone, estradiol and SHBG were similar in AR + and AR-tumors. Among triple negative, AR + tumours showed higher free testosterone (p =0.04). BC with few AR + cells showed higher total testosterone (p=0.0004) and a worse outcome (p=0.29). Conclusion: Our results confirm the role of AR in BC and suggest the androgen involvement in tumour progression.