Abstract
Background: Breast cancer is the most common malignant tumor in females worldwide. Many differencesexist in clinico-pathological characteristics of breast cancer patients between China and Western countries. Thisstudy aimed to analyze clinico-pathological characteristics of breast cancer from central China.
Methods: Clinicopathologicalinformation on breast cancer from three hospitals in central China was collected and analyzed.
Results: From 1994 to 2012, 2,525 patients with a median age 50 years were included in this study. The 45-49-yearage group and invasive ductal carcinoma not otherwise specified accounted for the highest proportions (19.1%,480/2,525 and 81.0%, 1,982/2,446). Stages 0-I, II and III accounted for 28.0% (682/2,441), 48.4% (1,180/2,441),and 23.7% (578/2,441), respectively. Distribution of N stage showed that N0 accounted for 53.2% (1,344/2,525),and proportion of N0 rose from 51.1% (157/307) in 30-39-year age group to 64.3% (110/171) in ≥ 70-year agegroup, with an average increase of 2.1% in each age group. Modified radical mastectomy, radical mastectomy,breast-conserving surgery and simple mastectomy were performed for 71.8% (1,812/2,525), 18.0% (454/2,525),5.2% (131/2,525) and 2.6% (66/2,525), respectively. Proportions of breast-conserving surgery in age ≤ 44-yeargroup (68/132, 51.5%) and simple mastectomy in age ≥ 60-year group (57/89, 64.0%) were higher than in the otherage groups. Breast cancers positive for estrogen receptor accounted for 53.0% (1,107/ 2,112). The comparisonsamong this study and other reports showed higher proportion of younger patients, lower proportion of breastconservingsurgery and positive estrogen receptor patients in China than western countries.
Conclusions:Clinico-pathological characteristics in this study demonstrated clear differences between the center of Chinathan Western countries. Additional classification systems should be developed to guide grading of early breastcancer more accurately, especially for N0 patients. Invasive ductal carcinoma is a focus for intensive research.
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