Age-related frequency of triple-negative breast cancer in women reporting at AFIP Rawalpindi, Pakistan

Abstract

Objective: This study aimed to determine the prevalence of triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) in Pakistani women based on age, focusing on patients at the Armed Forces Institute of Pathology (AFIP) in Rawalpindi, Pakistan.

Methodology: A cross-sectional study was conducted over a five-year period from January 2015 to August 2020 at the Department of Histopathology, AFIP. A retrospective review of TNBC cases during this period was performed. Data were collected and analyzed for 282 breast cancer patients who underwent surgical biopsy.

Results: Among 3138 breast cancer cases, 282 (8.98%) were TNBC. The mean age at diagnosis for TNBC was 42.27 ± 13.69 years, significantly younger than other breast cancer cases with a mean age of 52.90 ± 9.78 years. Of the TNBC cases, 58.9% were aged ≤ 50 years, while 41.1% were aged ≥ 50 years. The highest frequency (29.4%) was recorded among patients aged 41-50 years.

Discussion: This study sheds light on TNBC's prevalence in Pakistani women concerning age at presentation. The observed frequency closely approximates the lower margin of global ranges. TNBC predominantly affected women aged < 50 years. The mean age of TNBC diagnosis in this study is notably younger compared to international data. Previous research showed a higher TNBC proportion among younger patients, consistent with our findings.

Conclusion: A substantial proportion of TNBC cases occurred among premenopausal women and the younger age group. These findings contribute to understanding TNBC demographics and emphasize the need for further research into its causes and effective therapeutic interventions.

Keywords: Triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC), age-related frequency, breast cancer, Pakistan, Armed Forces Institute of Pathology (AFIP), prevalence, diagnosis.