title: Race is not a factor in overall survival in patients with triple negative breast cancer: a retrospective review.
abstract: The purpose of this study was to determine if race is a factor on overall survival when stage at diagnosis is compared. In this study, a total of 93 women with triple negative breast cancer (TNBC) were evaluated for survival outcomes after diagnosis between the year 2000 through 2010. Thirty-five patients (38%) were African American (AA), and 58 patients (62%) were Caucasian. Overall survival rates were estimated using the Kaplan-Meier method and compared between groups using the log-rank test. Student's t-test was used to calculate differences in cancer recurrence and mortality rates by stage and race. Cox proportional hazards ratios were used to determine the association of patient and variables with clinical outcome. Of women diagnosed with stage 1 breast cancer, the overall survival rates for AAs was 100% compared to Caucasians at 94% (95% CI, 0.003 to 19; P = 0.5). For women with stage 2 breast cancer, overall survival for AA women was 85% and for Caucasian women was 86% (HR = 0.8; 95% CI, 0.3 to 2.6; P = 0.73). For advanced stages (stage 3 and 4), survival for AA women were 78% and 40% for Caucasian women (HR = 0.6; 95% CI 0.2 to 1.98; P = 0.43). Rates of recurrence and mortality were not significantly different between AA and Caucasian TNBC patients. After controlling for patient variables, race was not significantly associated with OS (HR = 1.24; 95% CI, 0.32 to 5.08; P = 0.74) when comparing AA to Caucasian patients. Our study suggests that race does not have an effect on overall survival in African American and Caucasian women diagnosed with TNBC in Arkansas.
authors: Department of Cancer Control and Population Sciences, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, Little Rock, AR 72205 USA.
authors: Athena
authors: A
authors: Starlard-Davenport
authors: Division of Breast Surgical Oncology, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, Little Rock, AR 72205 USA.
authors: Katherine
authors: K
authors: Glover-Collins
authors: Department of Medicine, Division of Hematology/Oncology, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, Little Rock, AR 72205 USA.
authors: Issam
authors: I
authors: Mahkoul
authors: Department of Medicine, Division of Hematology/Oncology, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, Little Rock, AR 72205 USA.
authors: Laura
authors: L
authors: Hutchins
authors: Division of Breast Surgical Oncology, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, Little Rock, AR 72205 USA.
authors: Kent
authors: K
authors: Westbrook
authors: Department of Pathology, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, Little Rock, AR 72205 USA.
authors: Soheila
authors: S
authors: Korourian
authors: Department of Cancer Control and Population Sciences, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, Little Rock, AR 72205 USA.
authors: Kimberly
authors: K
authors: Enoch
authors: Department of Cancer Control and Population Sciences, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, Little Rock, AR 72205 USA.
authors: Michael
authors: M
authors: Preston
authors: Department of Cancer Control and Population Sciences, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, Little Rock, AR 72205 USA.
authors: Shakia N
authors: SN
authors: Jackson
authors: Division of Breast Surgical Oncology, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, Little Rock, AR 72205 USA.
authors: V Suzanne
authors: VS
authors: Klimberg
authors: Division of Breast Surgical Oncology, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, Little Rock, AR 72205 USA ; Cancer Control, Cancer Institute, Ladies' Oncology Clinic, Winthrop P. Rockefeller Cancer Institute, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, Little Rock, AR 72205 USA.
authors: Ronda
authors: R
authors: Henry-Tillman
keywords: Overall survival; Race; Triple negative breast cancer