'Triple negative' breast cancers linked to the young, minority

So-called “triple negative” breast cancers, tumors that do not contain any of three significant tumor markers, are aggressive, deadly cancers that affect young, poor minority women, according to a new study.

Published in the May 1, 2007 issue of CANCER, a peer-reviewed journal of the American Cancer Society, the study suggests that these tumors are more common among women who are African American and Hispanic, under 40 years old, and who have lower socioeconomic status (SES). The study found triple negative tumors are also associated with later diagnosis and shorter survival.

Tumor and tissue markers provide important information, including disease type and prognosis. Three important markers in breast cancer are estrogen receptor (ER), human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2), and progesterone receptor (PR). In particular, these markers are useful in selecting appropriate adjuvant therapy and prognosis. Around 15 percent of breast cancers do not express any of these markers and are generally identified as basal-like subtypes. While these “triple negative” tumors are associated with poor prognosis and survival, hormone adjuvant therapy failure, and are often identified in African American women, little is understood about other associated demographic risk factors.

Katrina Bauer from the Public Health Institute in Sacramento, California and colleagues compared the demographic, clinical and survival characteristics of 6,370 women diagnosed with triple negative breast cancers with 44,704 women with other breast cancers.

The authors found that race and age, in particular, as well as socioeconomic status were risk factors for this type of breast cancer. Compared to Caucasians, African American women were at greatest risk followed by Hispanic women. Women under 40 years old were at greater risk than women over 60 years old. Women living in lower SES were also at higher risk compared to the highest SES.

Clinically, these tumors were more aggressive, diagnosed at more advanced stages. They were also associated with shorter survival, regardless of stage at diagnosis. African American women had the poorest five-year survival, with only 14 percent alive five years after diagnosis.

From these results, Ms. Bauer and co-authors conclude that “age less than 40 years, being non-Hispanic black and, to a lesser extent, being Hispanic, are clearly the most powerful risk factors for this poor prognosis subtype of breast cancer.”

Source: John Wiley & Sons, Inc.

Related stories:

Caesarean babies more likely to develop diabetes
Babies delivered by Caesarean section have a 20 per cent higher risk than normal deliveries of developing the most common type of diabetes in childhood, according to a study led by Queen's University Belfast.
Women exposed to negative life events at greater risk of breast cancer
Happiness and optimism may play a role against breast cancer while adverse life events can increase the risk of developing the disease, according to a study by Professor Ronit Peled, at Ben-Gurion University of the Negev in Israel. An article on the study titled "Breast Cancer, Psychological Distress and Life Events among Young Women," was just published in the British journal BMC Cancer (8:245, August 2008).
Dense tissue promotes aggressive cancers
New research may explain why breast cancer tends to be more aggressive in women with denser breast tissue. Breast cancer cells grown in dense, rigid surroundings step up their invasive activities, Vanderbilt-Ingram Cancer Center investigators report in the Sept. 9 issue of Current Biology.

Positive thinking may protect against breast cancer
Feelings of happiness and optimism play a positive role against breast cancer. Research published today in the open access journal BMC Cancer suggests that while staying positive has a protective role, adverse life events such as the loss of a parent or close relative, divorce or the loss of a spouse can increase a woman's risk of developing the disease.
Study shows improved quality of life for older women on HRT
New evidence published shows that hormone replacement therapy (HRT) can improve the health related quality of life of older women. HRT guidelines should be reviewed in light of this evidence, say the authors.
Hair on a man's head offers clues about prostate cancer
Some of the drugs given to many men during their fight against prostate cancer can actually spur some cancer cells to grow, researchers have found. The findings were published online this week in a pair of papers in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.
French doctor accused in plastic surgery scam arrested in Spain
A French cosmetic surgeon who went on the run after being tried for mutilating and endangering the lives of dozens of men and women has been arrested in Spain, police sources said Tuesday.
Risk assessment plays key role in long-term treatment of breast cancer
Breast cancer patients and their physicians may make more informed, long-term treatment decisions using risk assessment strategies to help determine probability of recurrence, a research team led by scientists at The University of Texas M. D. Anderson Cancer Center reported in the Aug. 12 online issue of the Journal of the National Cancer Institute.

News discussion:

Medicine & Health news