CLINICOPATHOLOGICAL CHARACTERISTICS OF BREAST CANCER PATIENTS: A CROSS-SECTIONAL ANALYSIS FROM ZIA UDDIN HOSPITAL, KARACHI.
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Keywords
Age-Standardized Incidence Rate (ASIR), Breast Cancer (BC), Estrogen Receptor (ER), Fine Needle Aspiration Cytology (FNAC), Human Epidermal Growth Factor Rececptor-2 (HER2/neu), Invasive Ductal Carcinoma (IDC), Progestron Receptor (PR), Tumor Node Metastases Staging (TNM Stage)
Abstract
Background: Breast cancer is the leading malignancy among women in Pakistan, with late-stage diagnoses and limited systematic data worsening outcomes.
Objective:To analyze clinicopathological features of breast cancer at Zia Uddin University Hospital and highlight needs for early detection and targeted therapy.
Methods: A cross-sectional study of 80 female patients (ages 20–70 years) with invasive ductal carcinoma (IDC). Tumor size, stage, grade, and hormonal profiles (ER, PR, HER2/neu) were assessed.
Results: The majority of patients (61%) were aged 40–60 years, with 63.8% presenting at Stage III, and 71.3% having tumors ≥5 cm. Lymph node involvement was noted in 92.5% of cases, highlighting an aggressive disease profile. All cases were invasive ductal carcinoma (IDC), with poorly differentiated tumors (Grade III) accounting for 61.3%. Hormonal analysis revealed ER negativity in 47.5%, PR negativity in 62.5%, and HER2/neu positivity in 31.3%, indicating a significant subset eligible for targeted therapies.
Conclusion: Findings reveal disease profile requiring early detection, personalized treatments, and HER2/neu-targeted therapies. Systematic cancer registries and public awareness are essential for better outcomes.
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Dr Shahid Zafar
PhD scholar, Department of Pathology, Ziauddin University, Karachi.
Dr Qamar Jamal
Professor, Department of Pathology, Ziauddin University Karachi.
Dr Shumaila Usman
Associate Professor, Department of Molecular Medicine, Ziauddin University Karachi