Clinical and biological characteristics of breast cancer.

Purpose: in view of the crucial importance of early detection and diagnosis of breast cancer for subsequent treatment and prognosis, the aim of this study was to identify clinical and biological characteristics of breast cancer at the time of diagnosis.

Methods: the study enrolled 449 breast cancer patients in Clinical Centre Nis. Results were analyzed using Student's t-test for paired and unpaired samples, chi-square test, Mantel- Haenszel test and Fisher's test of exact probability.

Results: The average patient age was 56.2 ± 12 years (range 23-85). Seventyhorbar;three percent of the affected women were postmenopausal and 8.3% below 40 years of age. Operable disease was identified in 78% of the cases, and metastatic in 3.6%. TNM clinical stage IIA was identified in 27.6% of the patients, T2 in 49.2% and Tis in 0.9%. Almost 44% had negative axillary lymph nodes. Most common monolocalization of metastatic disease was the liver and the supraclavicular lymph nodes, and combined localization was the liver and bones. Histologic and nuclear grades 2 and ductal carcinoma were most common. Estrogen receptor positive (ER+) status was 3-fold higher than ER negative (ER-) status. Human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2) positive patients were most commonly ER-. The most common primary tumor site was the upper lateral quadrant. Left breast was more commonly involved. Radical surgery was the most common type of operation.

Conclusion: in view of the unfavorable age of patients at the time of diagnosis and clinical and biological tumor characteristics, the results confirmed that it is of vital importance to provide breast cancer prevention, screening, and to organize breast cancer units according EUSOMA guidelines.