Breast Cancer in Argentina: Analysis from a Collaborative Group for the Study of Female Breast Cancer

Background: Breast Cancer (BC) is the most commonly diagnosed cancer amongst women worldwide with estimated incidence rate of 43, 1 per 100,000 and also in Argentine. With an estimated incidence rate of 71, 2 per 100,000 in 2012 our country is among the two ones with the high incidence in all Latin-America where the estimated incidence rate for BC is 47, 2 per 100,000. Purpose: To describe the clinical and epidemiological characteristics of presentation of female BC in an attempt to explain the high incidence for BC despite the geographical location of the country, South America, a “less developed region” and with a “medium human development level” according to WB classification. Methods: The Collaborative Group for the Study of Female Breast Cancer in Argentine (www.cancerdemama2012.org.ar) a consortium of 64 physicians from 75, public (26) and private (49), health services, reported 1732 case patients studied during the years 2012-2013. The following parameters were recorded: a) demographic; b) biological and c) pathological. Results: a) Median age of 59 years (range: 23-92); 24, 2% with university studies; 79, 1 % with some kind of health coverage. b) Median age of menarche 13 years (range 9-21);menopause present in 72,3% of patients; nulliparous 19,1%; median age at first full-term pregnancy of 24 (range 14-46); personal antecedent of breast cancer in 9,8% and familial in 27.9%. c) 30.7% tumors under 2 cm of diameter ; 3.0% of bilateral synchronous forms; 80.9% of infiltrating forms with predominance of ductal histological types; 7,5% triple-positive and 10% triple-negative molecular profile; clinical TNM: stage 0, 7,2% ; I, 34,8% ; IIa , 22,3%; IIb, 11,8%; IIIa, 8,3%; IIIb, 3,5;IIIc , 2,9% and IV. 2,9%. Conclusion: Taking into account the main risk factors and clinic- pathologic features this population shows a “western” profile similar to that observed in developed countries and different from that observed in the rest of Latin American countries. This different profile for the geographic region and the development level of the country could be due to a genetic background of the population with a strong European influences, mainly in the last century.