Relative and disease-free survival for breast cancer in relation to subtype: a population-based study

• Published in: Journal of cancer research and clinical oncology 2013-09, Vol.139 (9), p.1569-1577
• Main Authors: Minicozzi, Pamela, Bella, Francesca, Toss, Angela, Giacomin, Adriano, Fusco, Mario, Zarcone, Maurizio, Tumino, Rosario, Falcini, Fabio, Cesaraccio, Rosaria, Candela, Giuseppa, La Rosa, Francesco, Federico, Massimo, Sant, Milena
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Adolescent; Adult; Aged; Aged, 80 and over; Antineoplastic agents; Biological and medical sciences; Breast cancer; Breast Neoplasms - classification; Breast Neoplasms - epidemiology; Breast Neoplasms - mortality; Breast Neoplasms - pathology; Cancer Research; Carcinoma, Ductal, Breast - epidemiology; Carcinoma, Ductal, Breast - mortality; Carcinoma, Ductal, Breast - secondary; Carcinoma, Lobular - epidemiology; Carcinoma, Lobular - mortality; Carcinoma, Lobular - secondary; Epidermal growth factor; Female; Follow-Up Studies; Gynecology. Andrology. Obstetrics; Hematology; Hormones; Humans; Immunoenzyme Techniques; Internal Medicine; Italy - epidemiology; Lymph Nodes - pathology; Mammary gland diseases; Medical prognosis; Medical sciences; Medicine; Medicine & Public Health; Middle Aged; Multiple tumors. Solid tumors. Tumors in childhood (general aspects); Neoplasm Recurrence, Local - classification; Neoplasm Recurrence, Local - epidemiology; Neoplasm Recurrence, Local - mortality; Neoplasm Recurrence, Local - pathology; Neoplasm Staging; Oncology; Original Paper; Pharmacology. Drug treatments; Prognosis; Proteins; Receptor, ErbB-2 - metabolism; Receptors, Estrogen - metabolism; Receptors, Progesterone - metabolism; Risk factors; Survival Rate; Tumors; Young Adult
• ISSN: 0171-5216; 1432-1335
• DOI: 10.1007/s00432-013-1478-1

Purpose No population-based study has investigated breast cancer (BC) subtypes defined by including Ki67. The aim of this study was to evaluate the relative proportions of immunohistochemical subtypes and differences in relative and disease-free survival between subtypes, in relation to patient and other cancer characteristics in Italian BC patient. Methods Information on estrogen, progesterone, human epidermal growth factor (HER2), Ki67, and relapses was obtained for 3,381 cases, sampled randomly and anonymously from cases diagnosed in 2003–2005 in nine Italian cancer registries. Relative excess risks (RERs) of death and risks of relapse 5 years after diagnosis were estimated. Results Luminal A cancers were 42 % of the total, luminal B 27 %, luminal-HER2 14 %, triple-negative 11 %, and HER2-enriched 7 %. For non-metastatic (3,302) cases, 4 and 7 % developed locoregional and distant metastases, respectively. RERs of death and risks of relapse were significantly greater for all cancer subtypes than luminal A, particularly for triple-negative and HER2-enriched cancers, which were more frequent in women