THE DEMOGRAPHIC CHARACTERISTICS AND CLINICAL PRESENTATION OF PATIENTS WITH BREAST CANCER IN URMIA, WHICH SCREENING PROGRAM MAY BE APPROPRIATE?.

Breast cancer after skin cancer is the most common type of cancer in women and is not preventable, but early detection through mammography improves treatment options, success, and survival. Breast cancer is the third most common malignant neoplasm in Iran (10% of all cancers). The aim of this study was to determine the age of patients and the stage of breast cancer at the time of diagnosis.

Materials & Methods: This study examined the demographic characteristics and clinical presentation of all cases in the Hematology and Oncology Clinic of Imam hospital in Urmia. A questionnaire was used to collect data from patients' medical files and phone call contact and then analyzed.

Results: There were 118 patients, three men and 115 women (21-76 years of age). The mean and median ages at diagnosis were 49.49 and 48 years of age, respectively. Most of the patients (35.5%) were diagnosed between 40 and 49 years of age. There were 21% locally advanced or metastatic 47.5% axillary lymph node involvement, 11% no axillary lymph node involvement and 20% unknown axillary lymph nodes status. First menstruation has been occurred in 90% under age 16 yr and in 28% before age 14. First full term pregnancy of 100% was before age 35, 95% before age 30 and 81% before age 25 and 9% have had no pregnancy. 6.77% had family history of breast cancer.

Conclusion: In this region, breast cancer is diagnosed in earlier years of age and advanced stages.

It is necessary to increase public awareness about breast cancer by women, and facilitate early detection of diseases especially by periodic clinical breast examinations.