title: Incidence and clinical features of breast cancer in the Auckland region.
abstract: Data on all new breast cancer cases in the Auckland area during the nine years September 1976 to September 1985 were used to obtain epidemiological information on breast cancer in the Auckland region. Breast tumours were found in 2706 women (300 per year), yielding a lifetime risk of breast cancer of one in 15. No significant difference in breast cancer incidence was detected between European, Maori and Pacific Island Polynesian women. Confidence limits for incidence were wide in the later groups. Fifty-one percent of women presented with intermediate sized (2-5 cm) tumours, and most (66%) were node negative. Eleven percent had evidence of metastatic disease at presentation. When the relationships between race, tumour size, nodal status and metastases were examined, Pacific Island women more frequently presented with large tumours and metastases, whereas Maori women were more frequently node positive. Eighty-five percent of tumours were invasive ductal carcinomas, 55% grade II, 35% grade III, and 10% grade I. Sixty-seven percent of tumours were oestrogen receptor positive (ER+ve) and ER status was significantly related to age; the proportion of ER+ve tumours was greater in older women. Fifty-seven percent of tumours were progesterone receptor positive (PR+ve), and PR distribution was bimodal with age. These data from the Auckland region are similar to breast cancer figures from other western countries, with some ethnic differences in tumour size and frequency of metastatic disease at presentation.
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgery, Auckland University School of Medicine.
authors.forename: P D
authors.initials: PD
authors.lastname: Newman
authors.forename: B H
authors.initials: BH
authors.lastname: Mason
authors.forename: I M
authors.initials: IM
authors.lastname: Holdaway
authors.forename: R G
authors.initials: RG
authors.lastname: Kay
authors.forename: J F
authors.initials: JF
authors.lastname: Arthur
authors.forename: G C
authors.initials: GC
authors.lastname: Hitchcock
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000208:ethnology / Q000473:pathology; D002285:Carcinoma, Intraductal, Noninfiltrating / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000208:ethnology / Q000473:pathology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D008207:Lymphatic Metastasis; D008875:Middle Aged; D009362:Neoplasm Metastasis; D009520:New Zealand / Q000453:epidemiology; D011960:Receptors, Estrogen / Q000032:analysis; D011980:Receptors, Progesterone / Q000032:analysis
chemical_list: D011960:Receptors, Estrogen; D011980:Receptors, Progesterone