Breast Cancer in Young Patients: Same or Different Entity?

Breast cancer is the most common pathology in women of reproductive age; approximately 7% of breast carcinomas are diagnosed in women less than 40 years of age, corresponding to more than 40% of all malignant diseases diagnosed in this group. Genetic factors play a fundamental role in the genesis of the breast cancer in young patients. However, it is not easy to analyze them because their clinical usefulness is limited and there are multiple factors that must be considered. We conducted a retrospective study in which we included female patients of ages 40 years old or less, diagnosed with breast cancer at a private medical center during the period of January 2010 to July 2014. The protocol of the study included a complete clinical study, radiological reports as mammography and/or ultrasound image, histopathological and immunohistochemistry reports. The study included 46 patients with an average age of presentation of 37.1 years, a standard deviation (SD) of ±3.02 years and a median of 38 years. There were also different percentages for the various variables such as tumor characteristics, risk factors, and treatment provided. Young patients with breast cancer should be treated and evaluated individually by a multidisciplinary staff, as this pathological entity shows specific characteristics that makes this group of patients difficult to treat and warrants special considerations.