Breast cancer was the most frequently diagnosed cancer among United Arab Emirate (UAE) nationals in 2002, accounting for 23% of all cancers in women. However, few studies have examined the immunohistochemical profile and subtyping of breast cancer in UAE and their correlation with the established prognostic factors. The aim of this study is to evaluate the immunohistochemical expression of oestrogen receptor (ER), progesterone receptor (PR), human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2)/neu, B-cell lymphoma 2 (Bcl-2), E-cadherin and p53 in primary breast carcinomas in Ras Al Khaimah (RAK) and analyse their expression in comparison with the established prognostic factors of breast cancer. We also attempt to classify breast cancer in the present cohort using immunohistochemical marker panels consisting of ER, PR and HER2, and to study the correlation with the other clinicopathological characteristics. The study included 28 patients with primary breast carcinomas diagnosed at the Department of Surgery, Saqr Hospital, RAK, during the period 2001–10. Immunohistochemical staining for ER, PR, HER2/neu, Bcl-2, E-cadherin and p53 was carried out and the tumours were categorized into four subtypes: luminal A, luminal B, HER2 enriched and triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC). Expression of ER, PR, HER 2, Bcl-2, E-cadherin and p53 was observed in 12 (42.85%), 7 (25%), 6 (21.4%), 14 (50%), 12 (42.8%) and 5 (17.8%) tumours, respectively.