The clinical and pathological characteristics of breast cancer in women ≤40 years of age

Abstract

Objective To retrospectively analyze the clinical and pathological characteristics of breast cancer in women ≤40 years of age. Methods One hundred and thirty one young (≤40 years) female patients with breast cancer pathologically confirmed in the General Hospital of PLA from January 1st 2008 to December 31st 2012 (young group) were collected, and 262 elderly (41-69 years) female patients with breast cancer in the same period (old group) were collected as control using the random number table method. The clinicopathological characteristics involved TNM staging, histological grade, the expression levels of estrogen receptor (ER), progesterone receptor (PR), human epidermal growth factor receptor-2 (Her-2) and clinical stage of the two groups were contrastively analyzed. Results Compared with elderly patients, young female patients with breast cancer had lower positive rate of ER or PR (64.9% vs. 76.7%; χ2=6.171, P=0.013), higher positive rate of Her-2 (26.7% vs. 15.3%; χ2=7.415, P=0.006) and higher histological grade (grade Ⅱ 38.2% vs. 35.1%; grade Ⅲ 55.7% vs. 49.6%; χ2=6.835, P=0.033). There were no significant differences in T stage (χ2=1.764, P=0.623), N stage (χ2=0.129, P=0.988), clinical stage (χ2=4.916, P=0.178), molecular subtype (χ2=7.475, P=0.058) and different surgical procedures (χ2=0.913, P=0.339) between the two groups. Conclusion Young (≤40 years) female patients with breast cancer have specific clinical and pathological characteristics including higher histological grade, higher positive rate of Her-2, lower positive rate of ER or PR and higher degree of malignancy, who should be diagnosed and treated as soon as possible. Key words: Breast neoplasms; Pathology, clinical