Abstract:
Background
The incidence of breast cancer in Sri Lanka is
increasing on par with the rest of Asia.
Lifestyle changes increasing the prevalence of
risk factors of breast cancer among Asian
women are claimed to be one of the reasons
for this trend.
Aim
To analyze the clinico-pathological and risk
factor profile of a cohort of breast cancer
patients to detect any change in the patterns,
over time.
Method
All breast cancer patients whose hormone
receptor and Her2 status were evaluated in
our laboratory from 2006 to 2015 were
included. Clinicopathological data was
retrieved from the laboratory records. A pre tested interviewer administered
questionnaire was used to collect data on risk
factors.
Results
A total of 1371 patients were included. There
was a significant change in trend in the age
(p=0.001) with an upturn in the breast cancer
patients over 60 years of age. A significant change in trend was also
observed in TNM stage (p=0.002), tumour
size, Nottingham grade and lympho-vascular
invasion (p<0.001). Hormone receptor
expression showed an upward trend towards
the latter part of the decade (p<0.001). A
parallel decline in the triple negative cancers
was also noted (p<0.001). However, Her2
status, lymph node metastases and lymph
node stage did not show a change in trend.
The only risk factor with a significant change
was family history of breast cancer which had
a downward trend (p=0.002).
Conclusion
This study describes an upward shift in the
hormone receptor expression which can be
attributed to the upward trend in the
percentage of patients of >60 years. No
significant change in trend in the risk factor
profile was observed except for the
downward trend in family history of breast
cancer.
