Is the incidence of breast cancer among Asian women living in the UK, higher at a younger age than that of the Caucasian women?.

Abstract

Abstract Abstract #5011 Introduction: The South Asian population comprises 3% of total UK population. An observational study showed that the Asian women living in the London boroughs of Redbridge and Camden present at a younger age with breast cancer than their Caucasian counterpart. This raises the question as to whether or not an earlier intervention with breast screening would be beneficial for this group.
 Methods: To verify our study, we audited two centres in these London boroughs. The patients with breast cancer from areas with a higher concentration of women of South Asian ethnic origin have been audited from January 2000 to December 2007 (Total 9 years). The borough of Redbridge has an Asian population of 25% from a total of 240,000 residents and Camden has an Asian population of 10.4% from a total of 198,000 residents. Data was collected from the breast units and from patient databases of King George Hospital and Royal Free hospital, London, UK.
 Results: A total of 1314(513+801) patients presented with breast cancer from January 2000 to December 2004 at King George Hospital and from January 2002 to December 2007 at Royal Free Hospital. 147(11.18%) of these patients were of South Asian origin (Indian, Pakistani, Bangladeshi, Sri Lankan) and 1149 (87.44%) were Caucasian. The age at which breast cancer was presented for the Caucasian population ranges from 25 to 99 years with a mean of 65.16 in contrast to the age for the Asian population which ranges from 31 to 78 years with a mean of 54.04.
 Conclusions: The finding of a lower mean age of incidence of breast cancer amongst South Asian women in Redbridge and Camden raises the increased possibility of breast cancer occurring among younger women of the South Asian population in general, compared to Caucasian women living in the United Kingdom. The evidence of a generally younger age of presentation of breast cancer in Asian women living in the UK suggests that more awareness of this condition is needed amongst this group. Therefore, an earlier breast screening programme will possibly increase the chances of early detection of breast cancer among this group of patients. Citation Information: Cancer Res 2009;69(2 Suppl):Abstract nr 5011.