Epidemiological Analyses Reveal a High Incidence of Breast Cancer in Young Women in Brazil

Abstract

PURPOSE Breast cancer screening is not recommended for young women (< 40 years old); therefore, those diagnosed are more likely to have advanced and metastatic disease, reducing treatment outcomes. This study aimed to investigate breast cancer epidemiology among young women in Brazil. METHODS Data from three publicly available databases and a cohort from a university hospital in Brazil were analyzed in a retrospective study. Descriptive statistics was performed on disease prevalence and stage distribution across age groups. Incidence was estimated using age-standardized incidence ratio. The impact of age in disease-specific survival was also analyzed. RESULTS Invasive breast cancer prevalence data by age group revealed that 4.4% and 20.6% of patients were < 35 and < 45 years old, respectively. In the United States, this prevalence was 1.85% and 11.5%, respectively (odds ratio [OR], 2.2; P < .0001). The percentage of regional and metastatic diseases were higher in São Paulo State (Fundação Oncocentro de São Paulo [FOSP]) compared with the United States (45% and 9.8% v 29% and 5.7%, respectively; P < .0001). In FOSP, regional and metastatic disease prevalence were higher among young patients (53.5% and 11.3%, respectively). The median tumor size in patients < 40 years old was higher (25.0 mm × 20.9 mm; P < .0001), and young patients have higher risk to be diagnosed with positive lymph nodes (OR, 1.5; P = .004) and higher proportion of luminal-B and triple-negative (TNBC) tumors. Young patients have a poor disease-specific survival because of late-stage diagnosis and more aggressive breast cancer subtypes (human epidermal growth factor receptor 2–enriched and TNBC) ( P < .0001). CONCLUSION In Brazil, breast cancer prevalence among young patients and late-stage incidence during this age span is higher. Advanced disease and more aggressive subtypes lead to a significant impact on breast cancer-specific survival in young patients.

Mutational spectrum of breast cancer susceptibility genes among women ascertained in a cancer risk clinic in Northeast Brazil

“…Black women across the African Diaspora have the worst outcomes from breast cancer of all ethnic/racial groups. Given the reported high prevalence of aggressive breast cancer in young Brazilian women [ 9 ], we sought to examine the burden of inherited breast cancer in a convenient sample of consecutive women with breast cancer ascertained in a cancer risk clinic in the State of Bahia in the Northeast region of Brazil. This region has a large population of African descendants as it remains segregated and is primarily inhabited by former descendants of slaves.…”

Young Women with Breast Cancer in Resource-Limited Settings: What We Know and What We Need to Do Better

“… 2–4 Young women with breast cancer (YWBC), defined as women aged 40 years or less at diagnosis, represent an often underserved population with age-specific needs. 5 While BC in young women is considered a relatively rare clinical entity that accounts for 5–7% of all BC cases in high-income countries (HICs), 6 LMICs such as Iran (23%), 7 Nigeria (21%), 8 Mexico (15%), 9 India (15%), 10 and Brazil (11%) 11 report a substantially higher proportion of cases diagnosed at a young age. Hence, understanding the particular needs of this population could be vital in optimizing BC care in resource-limited countries.…”

#outubrorosa e promoção da saúde: análise das postagens no Instagram sobre o câncer de mama

“…Esta malignidade tem apresentado uma taxa de mortalidade crescente na população feminina brasileira ao longo das décadas, em todos os grupos etários 45-64 e 65+ anos), ocupando, no momento, a principal causa de morte de mulheres no país (LIMA et al, 2020). Ademais, tem sido também reportado um incremento significativo tanto na incidência quanto na taxa de mortalidade do câncer de mama em mulheres jovens na maioria dos estados brasileiros (ORLANDINI et al, 2021;SANTOS et al, 2013;SILVA et al, 2020). Para essas jovens, as altas taxas de mortalidade estão associadas a limitações de condição de vida, como renda reduzida e baixa escolaridade (SILVA, 2021), destacando a influência das inequidades sociais do país no perfil epidemiológico do câncer de mama.…”