title: Breast cancer: demographic characteristics and clinico-pathological presentation of patients in Iraq.
abstract: Breast cancer is the commonest type of malignancy in Iraq. The study was carried out on 721 out of a total of 5044 patients (14.3%) presenting with palpable breast lumps that were diagnosed as cancer. Approximately one third of the breast cancer patients were diagnosed at age 40-49 years; 71.9% came from urban areas; and 75% were married. History of lactation was reported in 63.1% and hormonal therapy in 29%. Positive family history was recorded in 16.2%. Although the lump was detected by the patient herself in 90.6% of cases, only 32% sought medical advice within the first month. Accordingly, 47% of these patients presented in advanced stages (III and IV). The main histological type was invasive ductal carcinoma, in which pathological changes of grade II and III were observed in 56.6% and 39.9% respectively. DNA analysis showed that 80.3% of the carcinomas were aneuploid. The findings of this study justify increasing efforts for establishing comprehensive breast cancer control programmes in Iraq.
authors.affiliation: Breast Cancer Research Unit, Medical College, Baghdad University, Baghdad, Iraq. nadalwan@yahoo.com
authors.forename: N A S
authors.initials: NA
authors.lastname: Alwan
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D017677:Age Distribution; D000368:Aged; D000782:Aneuploidy; D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology / Q000473:pathology; D004252:DNA Mutational Analysis; D004273:DNA, Neoplasm / Q000032:analysis / Q000235:genetics; D005260:Female; D018734:Genes, erbB-2 / Q000235:genetics; D006801:Humans; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D007493:Iraq / Q000453:epidemiology; D008875:Middle Aged; D009367:Neoplasm Staging; D011159:Population Surveillance; D011960:Receptors, Estrogen / Q000032:analysis; D011980:Receptors, Progesterone / Q000032:analysis; D012111:Residence Characteristics; D012307:Risk Factors
chemical_list: D004273:DNA, Neoplasm; D011960:Receptors, Estrogen; D011980:Receptors, Progesterone