[Breast cancer in young patient in Morocco]. / Cancer du sein chez la femme jeune dans le Nord-Est du Maroc.

OBJECTIVE: Breast cancer occurring in young women is rare with epidemiological, diagnostic and prognostic characteristics of their own. It is more often linked to genetic predisposition and especially correlated with a lower survival and higher rates of recidivism. The aim of the study was to analyze epidemiological, clinicopathological, biological and evolutionary characteristics. PATIENTS AND METHODS: It is a retrospective study concerning 74 patients aged 35 and younger, in whom a diagnosis of invasive breast cancer was made between September 2004 and December 2009. RESULTS: Incidence of breast cancer in women aged under 35 in our series was 18.6%, mean age was 30.62years and five patients (6.75%) had a family history of breast cancer. The mean tumor size was 3.9±2.6cm; 45.4% of tumors were locally advanced. It was an infiltrating ductal carcinoma of grade III of Scarff-Bloom and Richardson (SBR) in 45.7% cases and half the time it was accompanied by an axillary lymph node involvement. Negative hormone receptor (HR-) was found in only 28.7% of cases and 13 cases overexpressed Her2. Eighteen percent of the tumors were classified as triple negative. The overall survival at 3years was 87.8%. DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSION: The incidence of breast cancer in young Moroccan patients is high. In our context, it is distinguished by a delayed diagnosis explaining the advanced stage at diagnosis. Biological characteristics are often more aggressive, including high histological grade, lack of hormone receptors and the higher rate of triple negative tumours significantly reducing treatment options.

[Epidemiological and biologic profile of breast cancer in Fez-Boulemane, Morocco]. / Le profil épidémiologique et biologique du cancer du sein à Fès-Boulemane (Maroc).

In a retrospective study of 265 patients with breast cancer over 3 years (January 2007-September 2009) we examined the epidemiological profile of breast cancer to determine the impact of biological and prognostic factors on survival over 3 years and on the epidemiology of this cancer. Estrogen (RE), progesterone (RP) and human epidermal growth factor receptors (HER2) were evaluated and RE/RP/HER2 status determined. The patients were young (median age 45 years). Invasive tumours were found in 95.5% of the women. The average tumour size was big [3.6 (SD 2.6) cm] and only 14% were histological grade 1. Large tumour size and high histological grade were independent of patient's age. Overall survival at 3 years was only 49% for the RE-/RP-/HER2- subtype and 75% for the RE-/RP-/HER2+ subtype, while it was 96% for the RE+/RP+/HER2- subtype. The young age, large tumour size and high histological grade in our population suggest a lack of awareness of women about breast cancer.

Epidemiological and biologic profile of breast cancer in Fez-Boulemane, Morocco

In a retrospective study of 265 patients with breast cancer over 3 years [January 2007-September 2009] we examined the epidemiological profile of breast cancer to determine the impact of biological and prognostic factors on survival over 3 years and on the epidemiology of this cancer. Estrogen [RE], progesterone [RP] and human epidermal growth factor receptors [HER2] were evaluated and RE/RP/HER2 status determined. The patients were young [median age 45 years]. Invasive tumours were found in 95.5% of the women. The average tumour size was big [3.6 [SD 2.6] cm] and only 14% were histological grade I. Large tumour size and high histological grade were independent of patient's age. Overall survival at 3 years was only 49% for the RE-/RP-/HER2- subtype and 75% for the RE-/RP-/HER2+ subtype, while it was 96% for the RE+/RP+/HER2- subtype. The young age, large tumour size and high histological grade in our population suggest a lack of awareness of women about breast cancer