clinical outcome and prognostic factors for very young patients with breast cancer: a comparative matched single institution study in iran

Background: breast cancer is the most frequent diagnosed solid cancer among iranian females and it comprises 25% of all cancer new cases in women. breast cancer is uncommon in very young women (< 35 years), only accounting for fewer than 4% inwestern countries. however, it is more common in asian countries. various studies have been reported in western countries on very young women; most of them insisted on the poorer outcomes of very young women instead of not very young women (age > 35 years). however, extensive data from iran is insufficient. objectives: the aim of this study was to compare the clinical, pathological profile, and prognostic factors between patients with breast cancer with age≤35 years and > 35 years at our institute. methods: the medical records of 1,910 patients with breast cancer in the shahid beheshti university of medical sciences cancer research center database were reviewed between september 2002 and december 2014. a total of 199 patients with breast cancer were identified as very young group (age≤35 years) and 398 patients, as less young group (age > 35 years), were selected and matched based on a time-stratified 2:1 approach. finally, 597 patients with breast cancer were selected for the study. results: the 5-year progression free survival (pfs) rate was 66% in very young group and 91% in not very young group that were significantly lower in patients with age≤35 years than patients with age > 35 years. conclusions: we observed that very young women had worse outcome compared with not very young women. however, longer follow up of these patients is required for more mature data on these cancers.