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Costa L, Kumar R, Villarreal-Garza C, Sinha S, Saini S, Semwal J, Saxsena V, Zamre V, Chintamani C, Ray M, Shimizu C, Gusic LH, Toi M, Lipton A. Diagnostic delays in breast cancer among young women: An emphasis on healthcare providers. Breast 2024; 73:103623. [PMID: 38219460 PMCID: PMC10826418 DOI: 10.1016/j.breast.2023.103623] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/18/2023] [Revised: 12/07/2023] [Accepted: 12/10/2023] [Indexed: 01/16/2024] Open
Abstract
Despite advances in breast cancer care, breast cancer in young women (BCYW) faces unique challenges, diagnostic delays, and limited awareness in many countries. Here, we discuss the challenges and consequences associated with the delayed diagnosis of BCYW. The consequences of delayed diagnosis in young women - which generally varies among developed, developing, or underdeveloped countries - are severe due to a faster breast tumor growth rate than tumors in older women, also contributing to advanced cancer stages and poorer outcomes. Though there are many underlying reasons for diagnostic delays due to age, the article delves explicitly deep into the diagnostic delay of BCYW, focusing on healthcare providers, potential contributing factors, its consequences, and the urgent need to start minimizing such incidences. The article suggests several strategies to address these issues, including increasing awareness, developing educational programs for healthcare providers to identify signs and symptoms in young women, developing clear diagnostic guidelines, and improving screening strategies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Luis Costa
- Department of Medical Oncology, Hospital de Santa Maria- Centro Hospitalar Universitário Lisboa Norte, Lisbon, Portugal; Instituto de Medicina Molecular-João Lobo Antunes, Faculdade de Medicina da Universidade de Lisboa, Lisboa, Portugal; Breast Cancer in Young Women Foundation, Denver, CO, USA.
| | - Rakesh Kumar
- Breast Cancer in Young Women Foundation, Denver, CO, USA; Cancer Research Institute, Himalayan Institute of Medical Sciences, Swami Rama Himalayan University, Dehradun, India; Department of Human and Molecular Genetics and VCU Institute of Molecular Medicine, Virginia Commonwealth University, School of Medicine, Richmond, VA, USA.
| | - Cynthia Villarreal-Garza
- Breast Cancer Center, Hospital Zambrano Hellion TecSalud, Tecnologico de Monterrey, San Pedro Garza Garcia, Mexico; Médicos e Investigadores en la Lucha contra el Cáncer de Mama, Mexico City, Mexico
| | | | - Sunil Saini
- Cancer Research Institute, Himalayan Institute of Medical Sciences, Swami Rama Himalayan University, Dehradun, India
| | - Jayanti Semwal
- Department of Community Medicine, Himalayan Institute of Medical Sciences, Swami Rama Himalayan University, Dehradun, India
| | - Vartika Saxsena
- Department of Community and Family Medicine, All India Institute of Medical Sciences, Rishikesh, India
| | - Vaishali Zamre
- Breast Cancer Surgery Unit, Rajiv Gandhi Cancer Institute, Delhi, India
| | | | - Mukurdipi Ray
- Department of Surgical Oncology, All India Insititute of Medical Sciences, New Delhi, India
| | - Chikako Shimizu
- Department of Breast and Medical Oncology, Comprehensive Cancer Center, National Center for Global Health and Medicine, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Lejla Hadzikadic Gusic
- Division of Surgical Oncology, Department of Surgery, Levine Cancer Institute, Carolinas Medical Center, Atrium Health, Charlotte, NC, USA
| | - Masakazu Toi
- Tokyo Metropolitan Cancer and Infectious Disease Center, Komagome Hospital, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Allan Lipton
- Hematology-Oncology, Department of Medicine, Penn State University School of Medicine, Hershey, PA, USA
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Seke Etet PF, Vecchio L, Nwabo Kamdje AH, Mimche PN, Njamnshi AK, Adem A. Physiological and Environmental Factors Affecting Cancer Risk and Prognosis in Obesity. Semin Cancer Biol 2023:S1044-579X(23)00093-7. [PMID: 37301450 DOI: 10.1016/j.semcancer.2023.06.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/31/2022] [Revised: 05/12/2023] [Accepted: 06/07/2023] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
Obesity results from a chronic excessive accumulation of adipose tissue due to a long-term imbalance between energy intake and expenditure. Available epidemiological and clinical data strongly support the links between obesity and certain cancers. Emerging clinical and experimental findings have improved our understanding of the roles of key players in obesity-associated carcinogenesis such as age, sex (menopause), genetic and epigenetic factors, gut microbiota and metabolic factors, body shape trajectory over life, dietary habits, and general lifestyle. It is now widely accepted that the cancer-obesity relationship depends on the site of cancer, the systemic inflammatory status, and microenvironmental parameters such as levels of inflammation and oxidative stress in transforming tissues. We hereby review recent advances in our understanding of cancer risk and prognosis in obesity with respect to these players. We highlight how the lack of their consideration contributed to the controversy over the link between obesity and cancer in early epidemiological studies. Finally, the lessons and challenges of interventions for weight loss and better cancer prognosis, and the mechanisms of weight gain in survivors are also discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Paul F Seke Etet
- Department of Physiological Sciences and Biochemistry, Faculty of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, University of Garoua, Cameroon; Basic and Translational Research Unit, Center for Sustainable Health and Development, Garoua, Cameroon; Brain Research Africa Initiative (BRAIN) &Neuroscience Laboratory, Faculty of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, The University of Yaoundé I, Yaoundé, Cameroon.
| | - Lorella Vecchio
- Basic and Translational Research Unit, Center for Sustainable Health and Development, Garoua, Cameroon; Brain Research Africa Initiative (BRAIN) &Neuroscience Laboratory, Faculty of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, The University of Yaoundé I, Yaoundé, Cameroon
| | - Armel H Nwabo Kamdje
- Department of Physiological Sciences and Biochemistry, Faculty of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, University of Garoua, Cameroon
| | - Patrice N Mimche
- Division of Microbiology and Immunology, Department of Pathology, University of Utah School of Medicine, Salt Lake City, UT 84112, United States
| | - Alfred K Njamnshi
- Brain Research Africa Initiative (BRAIN) &Neuroscience Laboratory, Faculty of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, The University of Yaoundé I, Yaoundé, Cameroon
| | - Abdu Adem
- Department of Pharmacology and Therapeutics, College of Medicine and Health Sciences, Khalifa University, Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates.
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Ramírez-Torres N, Reyes-López A, Hernández-Valencia M. [Associating prognostic factors with clinical results in locally advanced breast cancer]. REVISTA MEDICA DEL INSTITUTO MEXICANO DEL SEGURO SOCIAL 2023; 61:88-98. [PMID: 36542781 PMCID: PMC10395981] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/14/2022] [Accepted: 08/23/2022] [Indexed: 12/24/2022]
Abstract
Background Breast cancer is the most frequent malignant tumor in women. Objective To identify clinico-pathological and molecular markers as predictors of survival in patients with locally advanced breast cancer (LABC). Methods Retrospective and observational study. The clinical factors of clinico-pathological and molecular predictors in relation with overall survival (OS) were assessed by the survival function, baseline hazard with smoothing and Cox regression. Results 126 patients were assessed. OS at five years was significantly superior in patients with clinical stage IIIA (87%; p < 0.001), grade 2 tumor (81%; p < 0.001), pathological node stage (ypN0: 90%; p < .001), low-risk Nottingham prognostic index (86%; p < 0.001) and luminal A subtype (88%; p = 0.022). Baseline hazard with smoothing exhibited an increase in the mortality rate at 50 months for the luminal B/ HER2+ subtype compared with other subtypes. The multivariate analysis ascertained that the stage ypN2-3 (hazard ratio [HR] = 7.3; 95% confidence interval [95% CI]: 2.2 to 23.9) and the HER2+ nonluminal (HR = 7.8; 95% CI: 2 to 29.6) and triple negative (HR = 5.4; 95% CI: 1.7 to 17.2) subtypes were associated with a poor OS. Conclusions The comprehensive evaluation of the molecular marker and clinico-pathological factors provides more accurate predictive and prognostic information. The nodal stage and molecular subtype are suitable clinical parameters on survival for LABC patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nicolás Ramírez-Torres
- Instituto Mexicano del Seguro Social, Centro Médico Nacional La Raza, Hospital de Ginecoobstetricia No. 3, Servicio de Ginecología Oncológica. Ciudad de México, MéxicoInstituto Mexicano del Seguro SocialMéxico
| | - Alfonso Reyes-López
- Secretaría de Salud, Hospital Infantil de México “Federico Gómez”, Centro de Estudios Económicos y Sociales en Salud. Ciudad de México, MéxicoSecretaría de SaludMéxico
| | - Marcelino Hernández-Valencia
- Instituto Mexicano del Seguro Social, Centro Médico Nacional Siglo XXI, Hospital de Especialidades “Dr Bernardo Sepúlveda Gutiérrez”, Unidad de Investigación Médica en Enfermedades Endocrinas. Ciudad de México, MéxicoInstituto Mexicano del Seguro SocialMéxico
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Delineation of Pathogenomic Insights of Breast Cancer in Young Women. Cells 2022; 11:cells11121927. [PMID: 35741056 PMCID: PMC9221490 DOI: 10.3390/cells11121927] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/16/2022] [Revised: 06/03/2022] [Accepted: 06/10/2022] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
The prognosis of breast cancer (BC) in young women (BCYW) aged ≤40 years tends to be poorer than that in older patients due to aggressive phenotypes, late diagnosis, distinct biologic, and poorly understood genomic features of BCYW. Considering the estimated predisposition of only approximately 15% of the BC population to BC-promoting genes, the underlying reasons for an increased occurrence of BCYW, at large, cannot be completely explained based on general risk factors for BC. This underscores the need for the development of next-generation of tissue- and body fluid-based prognostic and predictive biomarkers for BCYW. Here, we identified the genes associated with BCYW with a particular focus on the age, intrinsic BC subtypes, matched normal or normal breast tissues, and BC laterality. In young women with BC, we observed dysregulation of age-associated cancer-relevant gene sets in both cancer and normal breast tissues, sub-sets of which substantially affected the overall survival (OS) or relapse-free survival (RFS) of patients with BC and exhibited statically significant correlations with several gene modules associated with cellular processes such as the stroma, immune responses, mitotic progression, early response, and steroid responses. For example, high expression of COL1A2, COL5A2, COL5A1, NPY1R, and KIAA1644 mRNAs in the BC and normal breast tissues from young women correlated with a substantial reduction in the OS and RFS of BC patients with increased levels of these exemplified genes. Many of the genes upregulated in BCYW were overexpressed or underexpressed in normal breast tissues, which might provide clues regarding the potential involvement of such genes in the development of BC later in life. Many of BCYW-associated gene products were also found in the extracellular microvesicles/exosomes secreted from breast and other cancer cell-types as well as in body fluids such as urine, saliva, breast milk, and plasma, raising the possibility of using such approaches in the development of non-invasive, predictive and prognostic biomarkers. In conclusion, the findings of this study delineated the pathogenomics of BCYW, providing clues for future exploration of the potential predictive and prognostic importance of candidate BCYW molecules and research strategies as well as a rationale to undertake a prospective clinical study to examine some of testable hypotheses presented here. In addition, the results presented here provide a framework to bring out the importance of geographical disparities, to overcome the current bottlenecks in BCYW, and to make the next quantum leap for sporadic BCYW research and treatment.
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Kumar R, Abreu C, Toi M, Saini S, Casimiro S, Arora A, Paul AM, Velaga R, Rameshwar P, Lipton A, Gupta S, Costa L. Oncobiology and treatment of breast cancer in young women. Cancer Metastasis Rev 2022; 41:749-770. [PMID: 35488982 DOI: 10.1007/s10555-022-10034-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/24/2022] [Accepted: 04/14/2022] [Indexed: 12/20/2022]
Abstract
Female breast cancer emerged as the leading cancer type in terms of incidence globally in 2020. Although mortality due to breast cancer has improved during the past three decades in many countries, this trend has reversed in women less than 40 years since the past decade. From the biological standpoint, there is consensus among experts regarding the clinically relevant definition of breast cancer in young women (BCYW), with an age cut-off of 40 years. The idea that breast cancer is an aging disease has apparently broken in the case of BCYW due to the young onset and an overall poor outcome of BCYW patients. In general, younger patients exhibit a worse prognosis than older pre- and postmenopausal patients due to the aggressive nature of cancer subtypes, a high percentage of cases with advanced stages at diagnosis, and a high risk of relapse and death in younger patients. Because of clinically and biologically unique features of BCYW, it is suspected to represent a distinct biologic entity. It is unclear why BCYW is more aggressive and has an inferior prognosis with factors that contribute to increased incidence. However, unique developmental features, adiposity and immune components of the mammary gland, hormonal interplay and crosstalk with growth factors, and a host of intrinsic and extrinsic risk factors and cellular regulatory interactions are considered to be the major contributing factors. In the present article, we discuss the status of BCYW oncobiology, therapeutic interventions and considerations, current limitations in fully understanding the basis and underlying cause(s) of BCYW, understudied areas of BCYW research, and postulated advances in the coming years for the field.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rakesh Kumar
- Cancer Research Institute, Himalayan Institute of Medical Sciences, Swami Rama Himalayan University, Dehradun, India. .,Cancer Research Program, Rajiv Gandhi Centre for Biotechnology, Trivandrum, India. .,Department of Medicine, Division of Hematology and Oncology, Rutgers New Jersey Medical School, Newark, NJ, USA. .,Department of Human and Molecular Genetics, Virginia Commonwealth University, School of Medicine, Richmond, VA, USA.
| | - Catarina Abreu
- Department of Medical Oncology, Hospital de Santa Maria- Centro Hospitalar Universitário Lisboa Norte, Lisbon, Portugal
| | - Masakazu Toi
- Graduate School of Medicine, Kyoto University, Kyoto, Japan
| | - Sunil Saini
- Cancer Research Institute, Himalayan Institute of Medical Sciences, Swami Rama Himalayan University, Dehradun, India
| | - Sandra Casimiro
- Instituto de Medicina Molecular-João Lobo Antunes, Faculdade de Medicina da Universidade de Lisboa, Lisbon, Portugal
| | - Anshika Arora
- Cancer Research Institute, Himalayan Institute of Medical Sciences, Swami Rama Himalayan University, Dehradun, India
| | - Aswathy Mary Paul
- Cancer Research Program, Rajiv Gandhi Centre for Biotechnology, Trivandrum, India
| | - Ravi Velaga
- Graduate School of Medicine, Kyoto University, Kyoto, Japan
| | - Pranela Rameshwar
- Department of Medicine, Division of Hematology and Oncology, Rutgers New Jersey Medical School, Newark, NJ, USA
| | - Allan Lipton
- Hematology-Oncology, Department of Medicine, Penn State University School of Medicine, Hershey, PA, USA
| | - Sudeep Gupta
- Department of Medical Oncology, Tata Memorial Centre and Homi Bhabha National Institute, Mumbai, India
| | - Luis Costa
- Department of Medical Oncology, Hospital de Santa Maria- Centro Hospitalar Universitário Lisboa Norte, Lisbon, Portugal.,Instituto de Medicina Molecular-João Lobo Antunes, Faculdade de Medicina da Universidade de Lisboa, Lisbon, Portugal
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