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. 2025 Jan 6;25(1):18.
doi: 10.1186/s12885-024-13381-5.

Breast cancer patterns by age groups in Brazil: insights from population-based registries data

Jessé Lopes da Silva #  1 , Luiz Claudio Santos Thuler #  2 , Andréia Cristina de Melo  2
Affiliations

Breast cancer patterns by age groups in Brazil: insights from population-based registries data

Jessé Lopes da Silva et al. BMC Cancer. .

Abstract

Background: Breast cancer (BC) has exhibited varied epidemiological trends based on distinct age categories. This research aimed to explore the incidence and mortality rates of BC within pre-defined age groups in the Brazilian population.

Methods: BC incidence trends were assessed from 2010 to 2015 using Brazilian Population-Based Cancer Registries, employing age-standardized ratios and annual average percentage change (AAPC). Hospital-Based Cancer Registries provided clinical and sociodemographic data from 2000 to 2019. Mortality data were obtained from the National Mortality Information System from 2000 to 2020. Three groups were compared: < 40, 40-69, and ≥ 70 years.

Results: From 2010 to 2015, 205,966 new BC cases were recorded, with incidence rates of 7.1/100,000 for < 40, 156.5/100,000 for 40-69, and 247.5/100,000 for ≥ 70 years. The < 40 years group exhibited a significant increase in incidence rate (AAPC + 1.6; 95% CI: 1.0 to 2.2; p < 0.001). This age group also showed a higher proportion of black patients (53%, p < 0.001), alcohol consumption (20.5%, p < 0.001), proportion of patients treated at stages ≥ IIB (64.0%, p < 0.001), and a higher likelihood of receiving multiple treatment modalities (60.7%, p < 0.001). The ≥ 70 years group experienced a longer delay exceeding 60 days from diagnosis to treatment onset (54%, p < 0.001), while exhibiting a higher proportion of endocrine therapy utilization (45.3%, p < 0.01). Mortality rates increased across all subgroups, with the < 40 years group showing the most pronounced increase (AAPC + 1.8%; 95% CI: 1.6 to 2.1; p < 0.001).

Conclusion: These results highlight marked disparities in BC incidence, mortality rates, clinicopathological and sociodemographic characteristics between women under 40, and those in the 40-69 and ≥ 70 age groups in Brazil.

Keywords: Age groups; Breast cancer; Incidence; Mortality.

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Conflict of interest statement

Declarations. Ethics approval and consent to participate: The study employed de-identified data obtained from publicly available government sources, thereby waiving the requirement for ethical review board approval and individual consent, in accordance with established ethical standards. The study adhered to good clinical practices. Consent for publication: Not applicable. Competing interests: The authors declare no competing interests.

Figures

Fig. 1
Fig. 1
Crude incidence rates of breast cancer stratified by age groups in Brazil, covering the years 2010 to 2015
Fig. 2
Fig. 2
The evolving patterns of adjusted incidence rates for breast cancer in the female cohort < 40 years old from 2010 to 2015
Fig. 3
Fig. 3
The changing trends in adjusted breast cancer incidence rates for the female cohort aged 40–69 from 2000 to 2020
Fig. 4
Fig. 4
Changing patterns in adjusted breast cancer incidence rates for the female cohort aged > 69 from 2010 to 2015
Fig. 5
Fig. 5
Evolution of adjusted breast cancer mortality rates among women < 40, from 2010 to 2015
Fig. 6
Fig. 6
Changing trends in adjusted breast cancer mortality rates among women aged 40–69, from 2010 to 2015
Fig. 7
Fig. 7
Shifting patterns in adjusted breast cancer mortality rates among women aged > 69, from 2010 to 2015
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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