BackgroundThe Kuwaiti perspective on quality of life (QOL) in breast cancer is important because it adds the contribution from a country where the disease affects women at a relatively younger age and seems to be more aggressive. We used the EORTC QLQ – C30 and its breast-specific module (BR-23) to highlight the health-related QOL of Kuwaiti women with breast cancer, in comparison with the international data, and assessed the socio-demographic and clinical variables that predict the five functional scales and global QOL (GQOL) scale of the QLQ – C30.MethodsParticipants were consecutive clinic attendees for chemotherapy, in stable condition, at the Kuwait Cancer Control Center.ResultsThe 348 participants were aged 20–81 years (mean 48.3, SD 10.3); 58.7% had stages III and IV disease. Although the mean scores for QLQ – C30 (GQOL, 45.3; and five functional scales, 52.6%–61.2%) indicated that the patients had poor to average functioning, only 5.8% to 11.2% had scores that met the 66% criterion for more severe symptoms. Most (47.8%–70.1%) met the >66% criterion for "good functioning" on the BR-23 functional scales. The mean scores of the QLQ – C30 indicated that, despite institutional supports, Kuwaiti women had clinically significantly poorer global QOL and functional scale scores, and more intense symptom experience, in comparison with the international data (i.e.,

The association between polymorphisms in the p53 tumor suppressor gene and breast cancer risk has been studied in many human populations with conflicting conclusions. However, similar studies in Arab women are not available, and the status of these polymorphisms in this ethnic population is not known. We investigated the status of four known p53 gene polymorphisms and their possible role in breast cancer risk in Arab women. Genotyping was performed for 288 breast cancer women and 188 controls to determine Pro47Ser, Arg72Pro, Intron 3 Ins16 bp and intron 6 (G > C) polymorphisms. The p53 variant Pro47Ser was detected only in one Kuwaiti breast cancer patient and was not detected in any of the control subjects. Frequency of Arg/Arg at codon 72 was 26.6% in controls and 28.1% in patients, Arg/Pro frequency was 59.6% in controls and 69.4% in patients, the Pro/Pro genotype was 13.8% in controls and 2.4% in patients. We observed that women with Pro/Pro genotype have decreased risk for developing breast cancer (OR=0.166, 95% CI=0.067-0.411, p<0.001). The intron 3 genotypes were A1/A1 (48.9%), A1/A2 (40.6%) and A2/A2 (10.5%) in controls and A1/A1(42.4%), A1/A2 (52.8%) and A2/A2 (4.8%) in cases. The intron 6 genotypes were 92.4% (GG), 7.6% (GC) and 0% (CC) in controls and 96.5% (GG), 3.5% (GC) and 0% (CC) in cases. No statistically significant differences between patients and controls were observed for intron 3 and intron 6 polymorphisms. Our data show that proline homozygosity at p53 codon 72 is associated with decreased breast cancer risk in Arab women.

In this series of locally advanced breast cancer, the combination of (FEC100) followed by cisplatin/docetaxel with and without trastuzumab was very active obtaining an impressive rate of pCR, particularly in HER2-positive and triple negative disease, which merits further investigation.

10754 Background: The aim of this case series study is to evaluate the outline and pattern of female breast cancers in Kuwait. Methods: Our study consisted of data from 300 cases of female breast cancer seen in our outpatient department. Data on profile of their disease at presentation and known risk factors was retrieved. The analysis indented to examine the pattern of the disease and risk factor profile of the patients. Results: Out of 300 patients, 52% were Kuwaiti citizens, 24% were Arabs from other countries, 23% were of Asian origin and 1% was of other nationality. Their median age ± SD (Standard Deviation) was 50 ± 9.7 years. Most patients were younger than 55 years (77.4%) and were predominantly premenopausals (63%). Only 18% had stage I disease at presentation, whilst 54 %, 24 %, and 4% had stage II, III and IV disease, respectively. Among patients with known axillary nodal status (298 patients) 44.3% were node-negative whilst 39.6% and 16.8% had N1 and N2 disease, respectively. History of benign breast disease was positive in 9% and only 1% had breast biopsy done before the biopsy which diagnosed cancer. In 20.7% there was family history of breast cancer. Among them 11.7% had first degree relative with breast cancer, 3.3%, 7.3% and 1% patients had either mother, sister or both with history of breast cancer. Whilst 12% patients had second degree relatives with breast cancer, 3% patients out of them had both first and second degree relatives with breast cancer. History of alcohol ingestion was rare, only 0.7% patients were taking alcohol. 9.7% patients were nulliparous, while 10.7% patients had their first child after the age of 30 years. Breast feeding was common, 80 % patients breast fed their children and 43.3 % did that for more than 6 months. Age at menarche was 12 years or less in 34 % patients and age at menopause was more than 55 years in only 6.3% patients. Oral contraceptives were used by 38.7% patients, 12%, 9.3% and 17.3% patients used them for 2 or less, 2 to 5 or more than 5 years, respectively. Only 3% patients took hormone replacement therapy, 7 of them took that fore more than 2 years. Only 6 % patients gave history of smoking and only half of them were currently smoking. Conclusions: This data analysis suggested that pattern of breast cancer in Kuwait is similar to other countries in this region. No significant financial relationships to disclose.