title: Pathological and epidemiological factors associated with advanced stage at diagnosis of breast cancer.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Breast cancer is a highly heterogeneous disease, but the stage at presentation significantly influences outcome. It is important to dissect the pathobiological and epidemiological factors that influence the stage at presentation in order to develop effective strategies to improve clinical outcome.
  
  
  METHODS
  PubMed references relating to breast cancer subtypes, molecular classification of breast cancer, genetic susceptibility, young women and breast cancer.
  
  
  RESULTS
  HER-2 positive, basal-like tumours and inflammatory breast cancers (IBC) more frequently present as late stage disease. Socioeconomic, cultural and ethnic background also influence stage at presentation.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The biology of IBC is poorly understood. Relative contribution of social and genetic factors in certain ethnic groups. GROWING POINTS Molecular determinants of breast cancer behaviour. Genetic and biological factors influencing disease phenotype in different ethnic groups.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Biology of basal-like tumours and IBC. Role of predisposition of genetic variants in determining breast cancer phenotypes. Biological differences in breast cancer from different ethnic groups.
authors.affiliation: Barts Cancer Institute, Centre for Tumour Biology, Queen Mary University of London, John Vane Science Centre, Charterhouse Square, London, UK.
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Verma
authors.forename: R L
authors.initials: RL
authors.lastname: Bowen
authors.forename: S E
authors.initials: SE
authors.lastname: Slater
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Mihaimeed
authors.forename: J L
authors.initials: JL
authors.lastname: Jones
mesh_terms: D000367:Age Factors; D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000145:classification / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000473:pathology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D058922:Inflammatory Breast Neoplasms / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000473:pathology; D020641:Polymorphism, Single Nucleotide; D012307:Risk Factors; D059016:Tumor Microenvironment