Breast cancer patients are diagnosed at younger ages in Turkey: a comparative study

Abstract

Background The incidence of breast cancer (BC) has been on the rise over the last decades in the USA, and it is most frequently diagnosed among women aged 65-74 years. Aims The aim of this study was to demonstrate the median age of BC at diagnosis and the age-specific incidence ratios of Turkish BC patients over the last 10 years. Methods A total of 6009 Turkish BC patients who had been admitted to the Institute of Oncology, a tertiary referral center, from January 2011 to December 2020 were included in the study. Results The median age at diagnosis was 49 years. This was 14 years younger than that of the US patients according to SEER data from 2014 to 2018 showing that the median age at diagnosis was 63 years. The distribution curve of the age-specific incidence ratios significantly shifted to the left compared to the American data. Conclusions Turkish BC patients are diagnosed at younger ages than BC patients in developed countries, and this portends a significant health problem. Therefore, it is important and vital that society be educated about the disease without any further delay and screening programs should be instated effectively and extensively from the age of forties.