Full length articleBreast cancer in young women of Chinese Han population: A retrospective study of patients under 25 years

BackgroundBreast cancer has aggressive clinical and pathological features in younger women and is characterized by poorer prognosis than in older women. However, data on women <25 years are limited.ObjectiveThe aim of the present study was to evaluate the different pathological characteristics and prognostic factors in Chinese women with breast cancer <25 years at the time of diagnosis.MethodsThis retrospective study included 94 patients (aged <25) of Chinese Han population with operable breast cancer at the National Cancer Center/Cancer Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences between January 1, 2000 and September 30, 2015. Univariate and multivariate Cox regression analysis were performed. The median follow-up duration was 64 months (range, 11-200 months).ResultsThe HER2-positive and triple-negative groups had a higher T (P = 0.002) and N stage than the luminal A group (P = 0.014). The 5-year overall survival (OS) was 90.4%, and the disease-free survival (DFS) was 74.5%. The 5-year DFS varied among the four groups were 94.1 vs. 76.9 vs. 45.5 vs. 66.7%, respectively; P = 0.009. Multivariate analysis showed that only estrogen receptor (ER) status was a significant predictor of OS and DFS [Hazard ratio (HR) = 5.3, 95% confidence interval (CI) = 1.11-25.27, P = 0.036; HR = 2.712, 95%CI = 1.27-5.80, P = 0.01).ConclusionHER2-positive and triple-negative breast cancer are more likely to have poor prognosis in patients <25 years. Hence, ER status may be identified as an independent prognostic factor for predicting young women with breast cancer.