AN EPIDEMIOLOGICAL STUDY OF PATIENTS WITH BREAST CANCER IN NORTHERN IRAN, BETWEEN 2006 AND 2015

Background: Breast cancer is the most common cause of cancer-related mortality among women. Patients and Methods: This cross-sectional study analyzed medical record data for 1058 patients with breast cancer at a referral center in Northern Iran. Results: The mean age of the patients was 50 years, and the anatomical spread of breast cancer varied from regional to in situ. The cancer stage observed most frequently was stage IV, with stage IB the least frequent. Metastases were most commonly seen in bone, and the least frequent site was the brain. Overall, 71% of the patients were estrogen positive, 66% were progesterone positive, and 52% were HER2 positive. Conclusions: Given the staging and metastasis diagnosis time observed in this study, further attention is warranted for developing preventive intervention systems that reinforce the educational system for early detection of breast cancer.