Breast cancer in young Asian women: Study on survival

Background: Breast cancer in young patients is often associated with a poorer prognosis, but there has been a paucity of published data in an Asian population. Methods: One hundred and six patients (12.6%) under the age of 40 years with breast cancer ( group V) were compared with 737 patients with breast cancer aged 40 years or more ( group W). Demographics, presentations, pathological profiles, treatment and survival measures were analysed. Results: Median tumour size was similar in both groups. Group V had more patients with grade 3 tumours and nodal involvement compared to group W (51.5% vs 38.1%, P = 0.012 and 52.5% vs 41.8%, P = 0.045). The mean Nottingham prognostic index (NPI) score was significantly higher in group V compared to group W (4.75 vs 4.26, P < 0.001). The incidences of chemotherapy and radiotherapy in group V were higher than group W (69.2% vs 35.2%, P < 0.001 and 41.1% vs 24.4%, P = 0.002). There were no differences in overall survival and disease-free survival ( local recurrence). Conclusion: Patients below 40 years with breast cancer have tumours with a poorer prognostic profile. However, this did not translate into a poorer overall survival, and this might be attributable to more aggressive adjuvant treatment of younger patients.