Differences in Inflammatory Breast Cancer Characteristics and Outcomes Between Caucasian and Hispanic Women in the US

Abstract

Mortality from breast cancer has declined over time in the US, but breast cancer remains the second leading cause of cancer death among women overall and the leading cause of cancer death among Hispanic women. In the US, the proportion of inflammatory breast cancer cases ranges from 2% to 7%. Although inflammatory breast cancer (IBC) is considered to be the most aggressive form of breast cancer, only a small number of studies have attempted to analyze the characteristics and outcomes of inflammatory breast cancer among Hispanic Americans. Comparisons between racial and ethnic groups can propose different approach for research in cancer etiology, prevention, and outcomes and are necessary for determining inconsistencies in healthcare. The goal of this research was to use the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results (SEER) database to evaluating racial disparities in IBC occurrence between Caucasian women and Hispanic women living in the US. I used SEER*Stat to compare the clinicopathologic characteristics and outcomes of Hispanic and Caucasian women between the ages of 20 and 79 years old who were diagnosed between 1992 and 2014. Age at diagnosis was similarly distributed between the two races until 35 years of age where an increase in rate was seen in Caucasian women compared to Hispanic women. Hispanic women displayed a lower incidence rate of IBC compared to Caucasian women. Caucasian and Hispanic women showed no significant differences in 5-year survival. Hispanic women also displayed a lower incidence rate of ER+ tumors compared to Caucasian. Caucasian women had higher incidence rate of PR+ tumors compared to Hispanic women. Understanding the epidemiology of IBC by race may produce hypotheses about risk factors for IBC. Future investigation should focus on etiologic agents that may explain these differences.