Clinic and pathologic characteristics of breast cancer in young women treated at the Brazilian health system in Caxias do Sul

Abstract

Objective: The objective of this study was to evaluate the clinical and pathological characteristics, performed treatments,
and clinical outcomes in patients diagnosed with BC treated at “Sistema Único de Saúde” (Brazilian Health System) in a
city in the south of Brazil. Methodology: Observational, retrospective, descriptive, and cross-sectional epidemiological
study through review of medical records of patients aged £40 years with BC treated at the Mastology Department of two
public hospitals in Caxias do Sul city. Results: From a pool of 136 patients analyzed, most diagnoses (86.8%) were performed by self-examination, and the median time between the onset of symptoms and the search for specialized care was
2.1 months. Most tumors (52.9%) were diagnosed in advanced stages (stages IIB, III, and IV), and the most common subtype was luminal B (26.3%), followed by triple-negative (23%). Patients with triple-negative BC had a 3.8 times greater risk
of disease progression when compared with luminal A subtype (p=0.042) (HR 3.8 (1.1–3.4)). Regarding surgical treatment,
55.2% underwent a mastectomy, and among these patients, 97% received breast reconstruction. During this period, 11
(8%) patients had locoregional recurrence, 38 (28%) patients had disease progression, and 19 (14%) patients died. The estimated 5-year disease-free survival was 64.2%, and the estimated 5-year overall survival was 83%. Patients younger than
30 years had a 2.5 times greater risk of death from BC (p=0.048) (HR 2.5 (1.01–6.16)). Conclusion: It is essential to know
the social, clinical, and pathological profiles of young patients with BC to optimize diagnoses and treatments in young
patients by health care teams.