Socio-economic deprivation and stage of disease at presentation in women with breast cancer.

BACKGROUND

This study describes and compares the pathological prognostic factors and surgeon assessment of stage of breast cancer of women living in affluent and deprived areas to assess whether clinical stage at presentation may explain the known poorer survival outcomes for deprived women.

PATIENTS AND METHODS

A population-based review of the case records of 417 women with breast cancer was carried out.

RESULTS

No difference in pathological criteria was found between the 88% of women living in affluent and deprived areas for whom such data were available. Clinical assessment of the remaining 50 cases showed that women living in deprived areas were more likely to present with locally advanced or metastatic disease.

CONCLUSION

The poorer survival of women from deprived areas with breast cancer may be explained by more deprived women presenting with advanced cancers.