Epidemiology, Pathology and Histochemistry Features in Women with Breast Cancer

Abstract

Background: Breast cancer is the most frequent malignancy among women and is the leading cause of death through middle-aged women. Despite the high frequency of breast cancer among Iranian women, the epidemiological characteristics of breast cancer among Iranian patients are yet unknown. Herein, we investigate epidemiology, pathology and histochemistry features in women with breast cancer in Iran. Materials and Methods: Between of 2002 to 2012, 546 patients with breast cancer, who were referred to Rasool-Akram Hospital, Tehran, Iran were studied. They were surveyed for age, size of tumor, family history of disease, laterality, type of pathology, grade, stage, tumor markers and metastasis. Results: The mean age of patients at diagnosis was 46.8±11 years. Size of tumor in 113 patients (20.7%) was 0.1-2 cm, 349 patients (63.9%) between 2.1-5 cm and 84 patients (15.4%) >5 cm. Forty-seven patients (8.6%), 382 patients (70%) and 117 patients (21.4%) had grade I, grade II and grade III, respectively. 185 patients (33.9%) had metastasis (35 patients at diagnosis and 150 patients in time of treatment) to other organs. 538 patients (98.5%) didn’t have family history of ovarian cancer and also 501 patients (91.8%) didn’t have family history of breast cancer. Conclusions: The mean age at diagnosis of BC in Iran is around 46 to 49 years. Tumor size in our study is lower than many studies. The organ as site of the most metastases was the lung in our patients, while in other studies it is the bone.