ABSTRACT
BACKGROUND: Though breast cancer is the most common cancer among women in Kerala, India, epidemiological data on breast cancer in the state is largely lacking. The objectives of this study were to analyze the survival pattern of female breast carcinoma in this region of the country and to compare the differences in survival with different hormone-receptor expressions. METHODS: One hundred eighty-nine female breast cancer patients who were operated between 1 August 2008 and 3 July 2009 were followed up over telephone to obtain data on five-year survival. Grade, stage of the disease, and hormone-receptor (HR) status were obtained from treatment records. Logistic regression and the Kaplan-Meier survival analysis were used for statistical analysis. RESULTS: The mean age of the study population was 49.07 (SD, 10.35) years. A majority of the patients had estrogen receptor (ER)+/progesterone receptor (PR)+tumors (n=103, 54.5%), followed by 72 (38.1%) ER-/PR-, 10 (5.3%) ER-/PR+, and 4 (2.1%) ER+/PR-. Stage of the disease, axillary nodal status, and hormone-receptor status showed statistically significant association with overall survival in breast cancer. Overall survival rate at the end of 5 years was 71.4%. Mortality was found to be highest for the ER-PR-group (47.2%). CONCLUSIONS: Women in Kerala are diagnosed with breast carcinoma at a relatively younger age, yet the overall five-year survival for the disease is low when compared to developed nations. It is imperative that comprehensive breast cancer screening and treatment strategies be developed to enable earlier diagnosis and improve the survival of breast cancer in the state.
Subject(s)
Breast Neoplasms/mortality , Carcinoma, Ductal, Breast/mortality , Receptor, ErbB-2/metabolism , Receptors, Estrogen/metabolism , Receptors, Progesterone/metabolism , Adult , Aged , Aged, 80 and over , Breast Neoplasms/metabolism , Breast Neoplasms/pathology , Breast Neoplasms/surgery , Carcinoma, Ductal, Breast/metabolism , Carcinoma, Ductal, Breast/pathology , Carcinoma, Ductal, Breast/surgery , Female , Follow-Up Studies , Humans , India , Middle Aged , Neoplasm Grading , Neoplasm Staging , Prognosis , Retrospective Studies , Survival RateABSTRACT
Breast cancer is presently the most common cancer among women in Kerala, in Southern India. The objectives of this study were to analyze the epidemiology and pathological characteristics of female breast carcinoma in Kerala. 266 patients who were diagnosed with operable breast cancer between April 2009 and June 2010 were studied. Various pathological characteristics including stage, grade, axillary lymph nodal status, tumor size, and estrogen and progesterone receptor status were studied. Estrogen and progesterone receptor status were evaluated by immunohistochemistry. Chi-square test and frequency tables were used for statistical analysis. The mean age at presentation was 50 years. 48.9 % of the patients were premenopausal. 53.76 % had grade II tumors. Positive axillary lymph nodes were found in 70.3 % patients, and 68 % presented with stage II disease. 54.13 % were ER positive and 62 % were PR positive. The relatively young age at diagnosis, late presentation of the disease, and lower estrogen and progesterone receptor expression compared to patients from the West point toward the need for better breast cancer awareness and screening programmes in Kerala.
ABSTRACT
BACKGROUND: Hormone receptor status is an important prognostic and therapeutic tool in breast cancer. The objectives of our study were to create a database of breast cancer patients in Central Kerala between January 2010 and December 2012 and analyze the proportions of estrogen receptor and progesterone receptor positivity in premenopausal and postmenopausal women with breast cancer. METHODS: Estrogen and progesterone receptor status were evaluated by immunohistochemistry. The chi-square test was used for statistical analysis. RESULTS: The median age at diagnosis was 50 years while the mean age was 51.92 (SD = 11.78). 56.1% of premenopausal and 47.4% of postmenopausal patients were found to be ER positive, while PR positivity was 47.7% and 34.7% respectively in the premenopausal and postmenopausal age groups. CONCLUSIONS: The proportions of ER and PRnegative tumors were found to be lower than reported in earlier studies on Indian populations. Contrary to expectations, the proportions of ER and PRpositivity were found to be higher in the premenopausal age group.
Subject(s)
Biomarkers, Tumor/metabolism , Breast Neoplasms/metabolism , Postmenopause , Premenopause , Receptors, Estrogen/metabolism , Receptors, Progesterone/metabolism , Adult , Aged , Aged, 80 and over , Breast Neoplasms/pathology , Cross-Sectional Studies , Female , Follow-Up Studies , Humans , Immunoenzyme Techniques , India , Middle Aged , Prognosis , Young AdultABSTRACT
BACKGROUND: Secretory carcinoma of the male breast (juvenile carcinoma) is a rare neoplasm. Only a few cases have been reported in the literature. CASE REPORT: We report here a case in a 17-year old male presenting with recurrent breast swelling. CONCLUSIONS: Though considered an indolent neoplasm, secretory carcinoma does metastasise to lymph nodes and recur after local excision. Surgery in form of mastectomy with axillary clearance is the treatment of choice.
