Characteristics and prognosis of young breast cancer patients treated in a public comprehensive cancer centre in Brazil: A retrospective cohort study

• Published in: Cancer epidemiology 2023-10, Vol.86, p.102437-102437, Article 102437
• Main Authors: Carreiro, Karina Belickas, Goncalves, Rodrigo, Mota, Bruna Salani, Soares, José Maria, Baracat, Edmund Chada, Filassi, José Roberto
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Age; Body mass index; Breast cancer; Breast feeding; Breastfeeding & lactation; Cancer; Chemotherapy; Cohort analysis; Contraceptives; Developing countries; Diagnosis; Epidemiology; Family medical history; Fatalities; LDCs; Medical prognosis; Menarche; Metastases; Ovarian cancer; Patients; Prognosis; Retrospective cohort; Survival; Womens health
• ISSN: 1877-7821; 1877-783X
• DOI: 10.1016/j.canep.2023.102437

The incidence of breast cancer among women under 41 years old varies worldwide, with higher rates observed in developing countries. These young women often face later-stage diagnoses. In this study, we examine a cohort of young women who were treated for breast cancer in São Paulo, Brazil. We conducted a retrospective cohort study involving women under 41 years old. Our objective was to describe patient and treatment characteristics, with the main outcomes being overall and disease-free survival. Our analysis explored the associations between age of menarche, history of breastfeeding, use of hormonal contraceptives, and age at diagnosis. Our study included 493 patients with a mean follow-up of 62.8 months. The mean age of the patients was 34.6 (SD=4.19). Of the patients, 68% presented with locally advanced disease, and 19.27% were metastatic at the time of diagnosis. We observed significant associations between age of menarche and age at diagnosis (p = 0.0096), as well as age at diagnosis and breastfeeding (p = 0.0232). Chemotherapy was administered to 92.91% of the patients as part of their treatment, while 27.2% were eligible for breast-conserving surgery. During the follow-up period, 153 patients died, with disease progression being the cause of death in 73.2% of cases. The median survival time for the entire cohort is still under review, while the metastatic patients at diagnosis had a median survival time of 28.64 months (95%CI 20.21–40.89). Our findings highlight significant associations between late-stage diagnosis and overall and disease-free survival in this patient age group. Given that the majority of patients present with locally advanced breast cancer, it is crucial to implement strategies that promote early-stage diagnosis and improve survival rates. •Breast cancer incidence in women