Clinical observations from a breast cancer registry in Asian women

Abstract

Background: The incidence of breast cancer in Singapore, reflecting cancer trends of developed nations, is rising rapidly. It is the most common cancer in Singaporean women. Given the significant problem that breast cancer poses, this study reports the clinical-pathologic features of 1,165 women with invasive breast cancer managed at a university teaching hospital in Singapore.

Methods: All patients who were diagnosed, treated, and followed-up at this institution between 1990 and 2002 were analyzed. Data were obtained from the National University Hospital Breast Cancer Registry.

Results: Of our patients, 82% were ethnic Chinese. The median age of presentation was 49 years, and 24.5% of our patients presented with stage I disease. In addition, 51% of premenopausal and 60% of postmenopausal patients stained positive for estrogen receptor. Mastectomy was the most common surgical therapy, and about 90% of patients received adjuvant therapy. At a median follow-up of 81 months, the median 5-year survival was as follows: stage I, 97%, stage II, 78%, stage III, 52%, and stage IV, 13%.

Conclusions: This study supports what has been observed among breast cancer patients in this region and reflects a profile of breast cancer that differs from that seen in the West: patients present at a younger age, with more advanced stage and fewer estrogen-positive tumors. Most women in our series received systemic adjuvant therapy, and the 5-year overall survival rates are equivalent to published results from the West. The unique features of the disease in women in Singapore are important to recognize, as they may influence future prevention and management strategies for Asian women with breast cancer.