Is breast cancer the same disease in Asian and Western countries?
A mini-symposium was held in Montreal, Canada, at the International Surgical Week for the Breast Surgical International in 2007 addressing the question whether breast cancer is the same disease in Asian and Western countries. Numerous investigators from Asian and Western countries presented the epidemiologic and clinical outcome data of women with breast cancer. Although there are significant similarities, the striking difference is that the peak age for breast cancer is between 40 and 50 years in the Asian countries, whereas the peak age in the Western countries is between 60 and 70 years. Also, the incidence of breast cancer in Asia is rising and is associated with increased mortality. In the West, although the incidence is increasing, the mortality rate is definitely decreasing. Future prospective data collection from Asian and Western countries may provide further interesting epidemiologic and outcome data regarding the outcome of women with breast cancer from Asian and Western countries.


BACKGROUND
Whether breast cancer is the same disease in Asian and Western countries was the topic of a 2007 Breast Surgery International symposium at International Surgical Week.


METHODS
Participating investigators from China, Taiwan, India, Japan, South Korea, Sweden, Canada, and the United States were asked beforehand to provide data on the epidemiology and treatment outcome of women in their countries.


RESULTS
Comparisons of the epidemiologic and clinical outcome data of women with breast cancer showed significant similarities, but the striking difference is that the peak age is between 40 and 50 years in Asian countries, but is between 60 and 70 years in Western countries. The incidence of breast cancer in Asia is rising and is associated with increased mortality. In the West, although the incidence is also increasing, the mortality rate is definitely decreasing.


CONCLUSIONS
Future prospective data collection from Asian and Western countries may provide further interesting epidemiologic and outcome data regarding the outcome of women with breast cancer from Asian and Western countries.
Leong
Stanley P L
SP
Department of Surgery, California Pacific Medical Center and Sutter Pacific Medical Foundation, 2340 Clay Street, 2nd Floor, San Francisco, CA 94115, USA. leongsx@cpmcri.org
Shen
Zhen-Zhou
ZZ
Liu
Tse-Jia
TJ
Agarwal
Gaurav
G
Tajima
Tomoo
T
Paik
Nam-Sun
NS
Sandelin
Kerstin
K
Derossis
Anna
A
Cody
Hiram
H
Foulkes
William D
WD
D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D000368:Aged; D001208:Asia; D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000401:mortality / Q000628:therapy; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D019366:Western World