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. 2018 Jun;169(3):595-606.
doi: 10.1007/s10549-018-4699-9. Epub 2018 Feb 14.

Differences in breast cancer incidence among young women aged 20-49 years by stage and tumor characteristics, age, race, and ethnicity, 2004-2013

Meredith L Shoemaker  1 , Mary C White  2 , Manxia Wu  2 , Hannah K Weir  2 , Isabelle Romieu  3   4   5
Affiliations

Differences in breast cancer incidence among young women aged 20-49 years by stage and tumor characteristics, age, race, and ethnicity, 2004-2013

Meredith L Shoemaker et al. Breast Cancer Res Treat. 2018 Jun.

Abstract

Purpose: Younger women diagnosed with breast cancer have poorer prognoses and higher mortality compared to older women. Young black women have higher incidence rates of breast cancer and more aggressive subtypes than women of other races/ethnicities. In this study, we examined recent trends and variations in breast cancer incidence among young women in the United States.

Methods: Using 2004-2013 National Program of Cancer Registries and Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results Program data, we calculated breast cancer incidence rates and trends and examined variations in stage, grade, and tumor subtype by age and race/ethnicity among young women aged 20-49 years.

Results: The majority of breast cancer cases occurred in women aged 40-44 and 45-49 years (77.3%). Among women aged < 45 years, breast cancer incidence was highest among black women. Incidence trends increased from 2004 to 2013 for Asian or Pacific Islander (API) women and white women aged 20-34 years. Black, American Indian or Alaska Native, and Hispanic women had higher proportions of cases diagnosed at later stages than white and API women. Black women had a higher proportion of grade III-IV tumors than other racial/ethnic groups. Across all age groups, incidence rates for triple-negative breast cancer were significantly higher in black women than women of other races/ethnicities, and this disparity increased with age.

Conclusions: Breast cancer among young women is a highly heterogeneous disease. Differences in tumor characteristics by age and race/ethnicity suggest opportunities for further research into personal and cultural factors that may influence breast cancer risk among younger women.

Keywords: Breast cancer; Cancer registries; Health disparities; Triple-negative breast cancer; Tumor subtype; Young women.

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Figures

Fig. 1
Fig. 1
Relative proportion of female invasive breast cancer incidence by stage, age group, and race/ethnicity, NPCR/SEER 2004–2013. W white, B black, API Asian or Pacific Islander, AIAN American Indian or Alaska Native, H Hispanic. *Rates are age adjusted to the 2000 US Standard Population
Fig. 2
Fig. 2
Relative proportion of female invasive breast cancer incidence by grade, age group, and race/ethnicity, NPCR/SEER 2004–2013. W white, B black, API Asian or Pacific Islander, AIAN American Indian or Alaska Native, H Hispanic. *Rates are age adjusted to the 2000 US Standard Population
Fig. 3
Fig. 3
Female invasive breast cancer incidence by tumor subtype, race/ethnicity, and age group, NPCR/SEER 2011–2013. W white, B black, API Asian or Pacific Islander, AIAN American Indian or Alaska Native, H Hispanic. *Rates are age adjusted to the 2000 US Standard Population
Fig. 4
Fig. 4
Female invasive triple-negative breast cancer incidence by race/ethnicity and age group, NPCR/SEER 2011–2013. API Asian or Pacific Islander. *Rates are age adjusted to the 2000 US Standard Population
Fig. 5
Fig. 5
Relative proportion of female invasive breast cancer incidence by tumor subtype, race/ethnicity, and age group, NPCR/SEER 2011–2013. W white, B black, API Asian Pacific Islander, AIAN American Indian/Alaska Native, H Hispanic. *Rates are age adjusted to the 2000 US Standard Population
Fig. 6
Fig. 6
Relative proportion of female invasive breast cancer incidence by stage, race/ethnicity, and tumor subtype, NPCR/SEER 2011–2013. API Asian or Pacific Islander
Fig. 7
Fig. 7
Relative proportion of female invasive breast cancer incidence by grade, race/ethnicity, and tumor subtype, NPCR/SEER 2011–2013. API Asian or Pacific Islander
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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