title: Locally advanced breast cancer in Jamaica: prevalence, disease characteristics and response to preoperative therapy.
abstract: Breast cancer is the most common cancer in Jamaican women. Locally advanced breast cancer (LABC) is associated with aggressive biology and poor prognosis, and has a predilection for African-American women. In this retrospective review, we assessed the prevalence of LABC as a breast cancer presentation in a population of mainly Afro-centric ethnicity, and determined disease characteristics and response to pre-operative chemotherapy. LABC was prevalent (20%), and had a low pathological response rate to pre-operative chemotherapy, with a high risk of disease recurrence. Increased utilization of breast cancer screening may help detect cancer at less advanced stages, and optimizing pre-operative chemotherapy is recommended to improve response rates and ultimately survival.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology, Faculty of Medical Sciences, University of the West Indies, Mona, Jamaica E-mail : sheray.chin@uwimona.edu.jm.
authors.forename: Sheray Nicole
authors.initials: SN
authors.lastname: Chin
authors.forename: Cheryl May Antoinette
authors.initials: CM
authors.lastname: Green
authors.forename: Georgiana Marie
authors.initials: GM
authors.lastname: Gordon-Strachan
authors.forename: Gilian Helen Frances
authors.initials: GH
authors.lastname: Wharfe
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001741:Black or African American; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000970:Antineoplastic Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D000971:Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols / Q000627:therapeutic use; D001940:Breast / Q000473:pathology; D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000601:surgery; D018567:Breast Neoplasms, Male / Q000453:epidemiology; D055088:Early Detection of Cancer; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007563:Jamaica / Q000453:epidemiology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D020360:Neoadjuvant Therapy; D009364:Neoplasm Recurrence, Local / Q000453:epidemiology*; D009367:Neoplasm Staging; D011300:Preoperative Care; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D000970:Antineoplastic Agents