histopathologic pattern of breast cancer in Iraq

ABSTRACT

Breast Cancer is the most frequent cancer in women worldwide. It is important to understand the histological pattern because histology as a prognostic factor has been well documented. No data is available about the histopathological cancer pattern of breast cancer in Iraq. The aim of this paper is to report the histopathological cancer pattern of breast cancer in Iraq in the in the largest series of Iraqi patients with types of newly diagnosed cancers. In the largest series of 63923 Iraqi patients with various types of newly diagnosed cancer registered by the Iraqi Ministry of Health from all Iraqi provinces with the exception of 3 Northern provinces [Sulaimanyia, Erbil, and Dohouk] during five-year period [2000-2004], 10277 cases of breast cancer, 464 males [4.5%], and 9813 females [95.5%] occurred in accounting for approximately 16% of all cancer cases in Iraq. The histomorphological types seen among breast cancers indicated that there were 7876 cases [76.6%] with histology of Infiltrating duct carcinoma [IDC] not otherwise specified [NOS], which was found to be the most common type. This was followed in decreasing order by infiltrating lobular carcinoma in 562 cases [5.46%]; adenocarcinoma carcinoma in 558 cases [5.43%] The histopathological cancer pattern of breast cancer in Iraq differs from the previously reported pattern in Asian and African countries such as India and Nigeria