CLINICAL CHARACTERISTICS AND MOLECULAR SUBTYPES OF BREAST CANCER IN WOMEN YOUNGER THAN 40 YEARS AT CAN THO ONCOLOGY HOSPITAL
Main Article Content
Abstract
Background: Breast cancer is the most common malignancy and the leading cause of cancer-related death among women worldwide. Young patients tend to have a higher risk of recurrence, poor prognosis, and a less favorable response to treatment compared to patients older than 40 years. Objectives: To describe the clinical and paraclinical characteristics and investigate factors associated with molecular subtypes of breast cancer in women under 40 years old. Materials and methods: A descriptive case-series study was conducted on 68 patients younger than 40 years who were diagnosed with breast cancer and treated at Can Tho Oncology Hospital between June 2024 and January 2026. Results: The mean age of the study population was 33.8 ± 4.2 years. Most patients were diagnosed at stage II (50%). Luminal tumors accounted for the majority of cases (63.3%), luminal B HER2-negative was the most common subtype (29.4%). Patients with T3–T4 tumors had 6.28-fold higher odds of having a non-luminal subtype than those with T0–T2 tumors (OR = 6.28, 95% CI: 1.48–26.57; p = 0.014). Similarly, patients who received neoadjuvant chemotherapy had 5.69-fold higher odds of having a non-luminal subtype than those who underwent upfront surgery (OR = 5.69, 95% CI: 1.77–18.27; p = 0.002). Conclusions: Breast cancer in young women demonstrates biological heterogeneity. Although luminal subtypes predominate, nonluminal tumors tend to present with more advanced tumor stages and require more aggressive treatment strategies.
Keywords
Breast cancer, young women, luminal
Article Details
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