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BMC Cancer
Published in: BMC Cancer 1/2024

Open Access 01-12-2024 | Breast Cancer | Research

Effect of young age (below 40 years) on oncologic outcomes in Lebanese patients with breast cancer: a matched cohort study

Authors: Eman Sbaity, Hani Tamim, Ghada El-Hajj Fuleihan, Jaber Abbas, Mariam Zahwe, Razan El Sayed, Ali Shamseddine

Published in: BMC Cancer | Issue 1/2024

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Abstract

Background

Developing countries have a significantly higher incidence of breast cancer in patients younger than 40 years as compared to developed countries. This study aimed to examine if young age at diagnosis is an independent prognostic factor for worse survival outcomes in breast cancer as well as the effect of age on Disease-free survival (DFS) and local recurrence free survival (LRFS) after adjusting for various tumor characteristics, local and systemic treatments.

Methods

This is a secondary analysis of prospective cohort of patients from two existing databases. We identified patients with breast cancer aged 40 years or less and we matched them to those older than 40 years. We also matched based on stage and molecular subtypes. In cohort 1, we matched at a ratio of 1:1, while in cohort 2 we matched at a ratio of 1:3.

Results

In cohort 1, Disease-free survival (DFS) at 5 years was significantly shorter for those younger than 40 years (75.6% and 92.7% respectively; p < 0.03). On multivariate analysis, only chemotherapy was found to be significant, while age was not found to be an independent predictor of prognosis. Local recurrence free survival at 5 years was similar between both age categories. Only hormonal therapy is a significant predictor for LRFS at 5 years. In the second cohort, DFS and LRFS at 3 years were similar between those younger and those older than 40 years. On multivariate analysis, no factor including age was found to be an independent predictor of prognosis.

Conclusion

Data in the literature is controversial on the effect of young age on breast cancer prognosis. Our findings could not demonstrate that age is an independent prognostic factor in our population. There is a need for outcomes from larger, prospective series that have longer follow-ups and more data from our region.
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Metadata
Title
Effect of young age (below 40 years) on oncologic outcomes in Lebanese patients with breast cancer: a matched cohort study
Authors
Eman Sbaity
Hani Tamim
Ghada El-Hajj Fuleihan
Jaber Abbas
Mariam Zahwe
Razan El Sayed
Ali Shamseddine
Publication date
01-12-2024
Publisher
BioMed Central
Published in
BMC Cancer / Issue 1/2024
Electronic ISSN: 1471-2407
DOI
https://doi.org/10.1186/s12885-024-11910-w

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