Skip to main page content
U.S. flag

An official website of the United States government

Dot gov

The .gov means it’s official.
Federal government websites often end in .gov or .mil. Before sharing sensitive information, make sure you’re on a federal government site.

Https

The site is secure.
The https:// ensures that you are connecting to the official website and that any information you provide is encrypted and transmitted securely.

Access keys NCBI Homepage MyNCBI Homepage Main Content Main Navigation
. 2020 Feb:6:307-312.
doi: 10.1200/JGO.19.00404.

Estimation of the Number of Brazilian Women Living With Metastatic Breast Cancer

Tomás Reinert  1   2 , Rodrigo Pellegrini  3 , Rodrigo Rol  4 , Gustavo Werutsky  1 , Carlos Henrique Barrios  1   2
Affiliations

Estimation of the Number of Brazilian Women Living With Metastatic Breast Cancer

Tomás Reinert et al. JCO Glob Oncol. 2020 Feb.

Abstract

Purpose: Breast cancer is the most common cancer and the leading cause of cancer-related death in women worldwide. The number of women living with metastatic breast cancer (MBC) in Brazil is unknown. The objective of this article was to use population-based data to estimate the prevalence of MBC in Brazil.

Methods: Using 4 different sources and cancer registries (DataSUS, Registro Hospitalar de Câncer, the Brazilian National Health Agency, and the National Geography and Statistics Institute) with data from 2008 to 2018, we built a database that represents Brazilian MBC cases. The current number of women in the model living with MBC was considered the prevalence (recurrent or de novo), and new cases in the year 2018 represented the incidence. In each of these outcomes, we were able to separate our population on the basis of cancer subtype, age, and time from diagnosis.

Results: We estimate that 44,642 women currently live with MBC in Brazil. This accounts for one in every 2,409 Brazilian women and approximately 41 women per 100,000. A total of 58% have hormone receptor-positive/human epidermal growth factor receptor 2-negative tumors, 25% are human epidermal growth factor receptor 2-positive, and 16% have triple-negative breast cancer. According to our methodology, the estimated median overall survival of Brazilian women after diagnosis of MBC is 26.2 months.

Conclusion: The significant number of patients living with MBC should inform and raise the interest of the many stakeholders involved. This collaborative effort is a clear requirement to improve the lives of these patients as well as to prepare for future challenges related to the trend of a progressive increase in MBC prevalence.

PubMed Disclaimer

Conflict of interest statement

Tomás Reinert

Honoraria: Novartis, AstraZeneca, Pfizer, Lilly, Pierre Fabre

Consulting or Advisory Role: Lilly, Novartis

Research Funding: AstraZeneca

Rodrigo Rol

Employment: Roche Farma Brazil

Carlos Henrique Barrios

Stock and Other Ownership Interests: Biomarker, MedSIR, Tummi

Honoraria: Novartis, Roche/Genentech, Pfizer, GlaxoSmithKline, Sanofi, Boehringer Ingelheim, Eisai

Consulting or Advisory Role: Boehringer Ingelheim, Roche/Genentech, Novartis, GlaxoSmithKline, Eisai, Pfizer, AstraZeneca, Libbs, MSD Oncology, United Medical

Research Funding: Pfizer, Novartis, Amgen, AstraZeneca, Boehringer Ingelheim, GlaxoSmithKline, Roche/Genentech, Lilly, Sanofi, Taiho Pharmaceutical, Mylan, Merrimack, Merck, AbbVie, Astellas Pharma, Biomarin, Bristol-Myers Squibb, Daiichi Sankyo, Abraxis BioScience, AB Science, Asana Biosciences, Medivation, Exelixis, ImClone Systems, LEO Pharma, Millennium, Janssen, Atlantis Clinica, INC Research, Halozyme, Covance, Celgene, inVentiv Health

Travel, Accommodations, Expenses: Roche/Genentech, Novartis, Pfizer, BMS Brazil, AstraZeneca, MSD Oncology

No other potential conflicts of interest were reported.

Figures

FIG 1
FIG 1
Prevalence and incidence of metastatic breast cancer in Brazil, actual and projected (2008-2023).
FIG 2
FIG 2
Women with metastatic breast cancer in Brazil by subtype. HER2, human epidermal growth factor receptor 2; HR, hormone receptor.
FIG 3
FIG 3
Women with metastatic breast cancer in Brazil by time since diagnosis.
FIG 4
FIG 4
Relative survival by time since diagnosis for women diagnosed with de novo stage IV breast cancer between 2008 and 2019 at ages 18-84 years.
FIG 5
FIG 5
Overall survival estimates among different age groups.
FIG 6
FIG 6
Overall survival estimates among breast cancer subtypes. BC, breast cancer; HER2, human epidermal growth factor receptor 2; HR, hormone receptor; TN, triple negative.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

References

    1. Goss PE, Lee BL, Badovinac-Crnjevic T, et al. Planning cancer control in Latin America and the Caribbean. Lancet Oncol. 2013;14:391–436. - PubMed
    1. Booth CM, Karim S, Mackillop WJ. Real-world data: Towards achieving the achievable in cancer care. Nat Rev Clin Oncol. 2019;16:312–325. - PubMed
    1. Mariotto AB, Etzioni R, Hurlbert M, et al. Estimation of the number of women living with metastatic breast cancer in the United States. Cancer Epidemiol Biomarkers Prev. 2017;26:809–815. - PMC - PubMed
    1. Vondeling GT, Menezes GL, Dvortsin EP, et al. Burden of early, advanced and metastatic breast cancer in The Netherlands. BMC Cancer. 2018;18:262. - PMC - PubMed
    1. Departamento de Informática do Sistema Único de Saúde: http://datasus.saude.gov.br/