Epidemiological profile of women with breast cancer treated at an oncology specialty clinic in southern Brazil
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.29289/2594539420250062Keywords:
breast neoplasms, breast cancer, delayed diagnosis, lymph nodes, neoplasm metastasisAbstract
Introduction: Breast cancer is the most common cancer in women, with increasing incidence and proportionally higher mortality in low- and middle-income countries. Delays in diagnosis and treatment are associated with worse outcomes. Objective: To analyze the epidemiological profile of women with breast cancer treated at an oncology clinic in the southern region of the state of Santa Catarina, in 2022. Methods: This is a cross-sectional study with 422 patients ≥18 years old, diagnosed with malignant breast neoplasm. Medical record data included age, laterality, histological type, time between diagnosis and surgery, lymph node involvement, metastasis, and treatment. Statistical analyses were performed using SPSS 20.0, with the significance level set at 5% (p<0.05). Results: The mean age was 51.5 years, with a predominance of the 40–59 age group (56.6%) and incidence in the left breast (52.1%). Invasive breast carcinoma and subtypes accounted for 98.8% of cases, with emphasis on those unspecified (47.4%) and human epidermal growth factor receptor 2–positive (HER2+; 25.8%). The median time between diagnosis and surgery was 5.2 months (interquartile range: 2.3–8.1). Affected lymph nodes were associated with longer time to surgery and increased risk of metastasis (odds ratio: 42.30; 95% confidence interval: 10.05–178.02). All patients underwent surgery, with 363 (86.0%) receiving chemotherapy, radiotherapy, and surgery associated with new therapies (CT + RT + surgery + novel therapies). Other treatments included CT + surgery (10.2%), RT + surgery (1.7%), and surgery alone (2.1%). Conclusion: A predominance of invasive carcinomas was observed, with diagnosis occurring during productive age, and significant delays in access to surgical treatment. A strong association between positive lymph nodes and metastasis was identified. The significant proportion of patients with access to new therapies reflects the incorporation of oncological advances in the regional public health service, although the observed delays highlight the need to optimize care flows.
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