Epidemiological and anatomopathological profil of breast cancer in the region of North-West of Tunisia

Abstract

Introduction

Breast cancer is a common and serious diseases. It represents the first cause of mortality and morbidity from cancer of the tunisian women and worldwide. The aim of our study was to analyze the clinico-pathological and evolutionary characteristics of the patients followed at the carcinology’s pole in the region of the North-West of Tunisia.

Methods

We conducted a retrospective descriptive study of 114 patients, who were diagnosed with non metastatic breast cancers over a 6-year period, from January 2011 to December 2016.

Results

Among the 289 patients treated in the medical carcinology department of the Jendouba regional hospital for invasive breast carcinoma over a period of 6 years, 114 patients had localized breast carcinoma, they were the subject of our study. The average age was 51 years. Nonspecific invasive cancer was the most frequent histological type (95.6%). The mean histological size was 29.3 mm. SBR grade II was most prevalent. Histological lymph node involvement was observed in 50.9%. Lymphovascular invasion was detected in 23.9% of cases and perineural sheaths was detected in 21.9% of cases. The most common molecular subtype was Luminal B. After discussion in a multidisciplinary concertation meeting, the patients received locoregional treatment: surgery, radiotherapy and systemic treatment: chemotherapy, endocrine hormone therapy. After a median follow-up of 45 months, OS and PFS at 5 years were 85.6% and 79.2% respectively.


Conclusion

In the region of the North-West of Tunisia, breast cancer is characterized by its occurrence at a young age, the importance of tumor size, the importance of lymph node involvement, the frequency of inflammatory breast carcinoma and especially by the predominance of the molecular groups Luminal B and HER2 neu.