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Breast Cancer Research
Published in: Breast Cancer Research 1/2022

Open Access 01-12-2022 | Breast Cancer | Research article

Incidence of breast cancer subtypes in immigrant and non-immigrant women in Norway

Authors: Kirsti V. Hjerkind, Anna L. V. Johansson, Cassia B. Trewin, Hege G. Russnes, Giske Ursin

Published in: Breast Cancer Research | Issue 1/2022

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Abstract

Background

Breast cancer incidence differs between non-immigrants and immigrants from low- and middle-income countries. This study investigates whether immigrants also have different subtype-specific incidences.

Methods

We used national health registries in Norway and calculated subtype-specific incidence rate ratios (IRRs) for invasive breast cancer among women aged 20–75 and 20–49 years between 2005 and 2015. Immigrant groups were classified by country of birth broadly defined based on WHO regional groupings. Subtype was defined using estrogen receptor (ER), progesterone receptor (PR) and human epidermal growth factor 2 (HER2) status as luminal A-like (ER+ PR+ HER2-), luminal B-like/HER2- (ER+ PR- HER2-), luminal B-like/HER2+ (ER+ PR any HER2+), HER2+ (ER-PR-HER2+) and triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) (ER-PR-HER2-).

Results

Compared to non-immigrants, incidence of the luminal A-like subtype was lower in immigrants from Sub-Saharan Africa (IRR 0.43 95% CI 0.28–0.66), South East Asia (IRR 0.63 95% CI 0.51–0.79), South Asia (IRR 0.67 95% CI 0.52–0.86) and Eastern Europe (IRR 0.86 95% CI 0.76–0.99). Immigrants from South Asia had higher rates of HER2 + tumors (IRR 2.02 95% CI 1.26–3.23). The rates of TNBC tended to be similar regardless of region of birth, except that women from South East Asia had an IRR of 0.54 (95% CI 0.32–0.91).

Conclusions

Women from Eastern Europe, Sub-Saharan Africa and Asia had different subtype-specific incidences compared to women from high-income countries (including non-immigrants). These differences in tumor characteristics between immigrant groups should be taken into consideration when planning preventive or screening strategies.
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Metadata
Title
Incidence of breast cancer subtypes in immigrant and non-immigrant women in Norway
Authors
Kirsti V. Hjerkind
Anna L. V. Johansson
Cassia B. Trewin
Hege G. Russnes
Giske Ursin
Publication date
01-12-2022
Publisher
BioMed Central
Published in
Breast Cancer Research / Issue 1/2022
Electronic ISSN: 1465-542X
DOI
https://doi.org/10.1186/s13058-021-01498-5

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