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Abstract
Objective: To analyze the clinico-pathological characteristics, tumor biology, and risk factors of breast cancer in females under 40 years at a tertiary care hospital in Pakistan.
Study Design: Cross-sectional study.
Place and Duration of Study: The outpatient Department of General Surgery at Jinnah Postgraduate Medical Center in Karachi, from June 2024 to January 2025.
Methodology: A total of 144 female patients under the age of 40 who had histologically confirmed primary breast cancer were included. The study included patients with complete clinical and pathological data, such as demographic information, tumor size and stage, histological subtype, and receptor status.
Results: The study included 144 participants with a mean age of 33.7 years (±3.2). The majority of participants were between 35 and 40 years old (47.2%), followed by those aged 30 to 34 years (40.9%), and a smaller proportion aged 20 to 29 years (11.8%). Among the 144 participants, the majority of tumors were grade III (102 cases, 70.8%), followed by grade II (36 cases, 25.0%) and grade I (6 cases, 4.2%). Estrogen receptor (ER) positivity was observed in 106 cases (73.6%), progesterone receptor (PR) positivity was identified in 58 cases (40.2%). Regarding HER2/Neu status, 81 cases (56.2%) were HER2/Neu positive and 63 cases (43.8%) were HER2/Neu negative.
Conclusion: Breast cancer in young women often manifests through noticeable symptoms such as a prominent lump and associated discomfort. Our research revealed that 47% of the patients of BC were aged ≥35 years.