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01-09-2009 | Original Paper

The epidemiology of triple-negative breast cancer, including race

Authors: Katrina F. Trivers, Mary Jo Lund, Peggy L. Porter, Jonathan M. Liff, Elaine W. Flagg, Ralph J. Coates, J. William Eley

Published in: Cancer Causes & Control | Issue 7/2009

Abstract

Objective

Predictors of intrinsic breast cancer subtypes, including the triple-negative (TN) subtype, are largely unknown. We evaluated whether anthropometrics, demographics, and reproductive history were associated with distinct breast cancer subtypes.

Methods

Invasive breast tumors from a population-based case–control study of 476 (116 black and 360 white) Atlanta women aged 20–54, diagnosed between 1990 and 1992, were centrally reviewed and immunohistochemically analyzed for estrogen receptor (ER), progesterone receptor (PR) and human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2); then grouped [TN (ER−PR−HER2−); ER−PR−HER2+; ER/PR+HER2+; ER/PR+HER2− (case-only reference group)]. Data were from interviews and anthropometric measurements; adjusted odds ratios (OR) and 95% confidence intervals (CI) were estimated using logistic regression, including both case-only and case-control comparisons.

Results

From the case-only analyses and compared with the ER/PR+HER2− subtype, women with TN tumors were more likely to be obese than normal/underweight [OR = 1.89 (95% CI = 1.22, 2.92)]. Regardless of HER2 status, ER−PR− tumors were associated with black race, young age at first birth, having a recent birth, and being overweight.

Conclusions

Distinct breast cancer subtypes have unique sociodemographic, anthropometric and reproductive characteristics and possibly different pathways for development.

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Title: The epidemiology of triple-negative breast cancer, including race
Authors: Katrina F. Trivers
Mary Jo Lund
Peggy L. Porter
Jonathan M. Liff
Elaine W. Flagg
Ralph J. Coates
J. William Eley
Publication date: 01-09-2009
Publisher: Springer Netherlands
Published in: Cancer Causes & Control / Issue 7/2009
Print ISSN: 0957-5243
Electronic ISSN: 1573-7225
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10552-009-9331-1

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Abstract

Objective

Methods

Results

Conclusions

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