Breast Cancer in Young Women: A Clinicopathological Hospital-based Descriptive Study from Kurdistan, Iraq

Background: Young women with breast cancer have been reported to present more aggressive clinical and pathological features, requiring more treatment options compared with older patients. Our objective was to investigate the clinicopathological features of breast cancer in our local young women. Method: We conducted an observational descriptive study on ۱۰۰ young women (age ≤ ۴۰) with breast cancer. The subjects were taken care of, at a single tertiary cancer facility, from mid-۲۰۰۷ to mid-۲۰۱۴. We reviewed the clinicopathological profiles and therapeutic strategies. Results: Ratio of breast cancer in young women was about ۱۳% of all breast cancer patients. The mean age of the patients was ۳۵ years ± ۴SD. ۵۶% of the patients had grade III tumors and ۴۶% were in stage III. Hormonal receptors were positive in ۷۰%, while HER۲ was positive in ۲۶%. ۷۰% of the patients underwent modified radical mastectomy, ۹۶% received chemotherapy, and ۷۰% received radiotherapy and required hormonal therapy. Conclusion: This review showed that breast cancer in our local young women was largely diagnosed at advanced stages with more aggressive clinico-pathological features. Moreover, most of the patients received more aggressive treatment options. Therefore, physicians should pay a close attention to breast lumps in young women.

Keywords:

Breast cancer , Young Women , Kurdistan , Iraq