Abstract P3-11-13: Impact of Young Age on the Presentation, Management and Outcome of Breast Cancer in a Multi-Ethnic Asian Setting: Results from the Singapore-Malaysia Hospital-Based Breast Cancer Registry:

Background: The proportion of very young women with breast cancer is high in Asia, ranging between 10% and 25%. Material and methods: Within the multi-institutional Singapore-Malaysia hospital-based breast cancer registry, we compared tumor characteristics, treatment and survival of very young ( Results: Compared to older breast cancer patients, young patients presented with larger tumor (median diameter 25mm vs 30mm respectively: P Among those with stage 0 to stage II disease, 5-year OS was 71.3% (95%CI: 61.7%-80.9%) in young patients and 85.6% (95%CI: 83.2%- 88.0%) in older women. After adjustment for stage, tumor profile and treatment, young patients had approximately 50% higher risk of death than their older counterparts (HR:1.46; 95% CI: 1.23-1.73). Ethnicity, tumor size, pathological lymph node staging, loco-regional therapy, and chemotherapy, were significant independent predictors of overall survival among young patients with breast cancer. Conclusion: Asian women diagnosed at a very young age, present with less favorable tumor characteristics and stage distribution. They have a 50% higher risk of death following their disease, which is independent of their stage at diagnosis, tumor characteristics and treatment. Citation Information: Cancer Res 2010;70(24 Suppl):Abstract nr P3-11-13.