Breast carcinoma in Uganda: microscopic study and receptor profile of 45 cases.

CONTEXT

Histologic and receptor data on breast carcinoma in Uganda are scarce. Estrogen receptor status is not routinely available. Breast cancer blocks from Uganda were studied in Montreal, Canada, and clinical correlations subsequently discussed in Kampala, Uganda.

OBJECTIVE

To correlate histologic features (tumor type, histologic grade), receptor profile (estrogen receptor, progesterone receptor, and HER2/neu), and age in Ugandan women.

DESIGN

Pathology reports for 2000-2004 from Nsambya Hospital, reporting invasive breast carcinoma, provided 45 microscopically confirmed cases.

RESULTS

Seventy-three percent of patients were 50 years or younger. Histologic types were invasive ductal carcinoma (78%) and "good" prognosis types (11%). Overall 40% were grade 3, but 48% of invasive ductal carcinomas were grade 3. Estrogen receptor was positive in 60% overall and in 51% of invasive ductal carcinomas. HER2/neu was overexpressed in 11%; 36% were "triple" negative (estrogen receptor, progesterone receptor, HER2/neu negative).

CONCLUSIONS

Breast carcinoma in Ugandan women presents at a younger age and is histologically and by receptor profile more aggressive than carcinoma in Caucasian women.