The Pathological Pattern of Breast Cancer in the Najran Region of Saudi Arabia: A Retrospective Study

TL;DR

This study examines the breast cancer patterns in Saudi women from Najran, finding that invasive ductal carcinoma is most common and often affects younger women.

Contribution

The study provides new insights into the histopathological profile of breast cancer in the Najran region of Saudi Arabia.

Findings

Invasive ductal carcinoma was the most common type of breast cancer (70.5%).

Breast cancer was frequently diagnosed in younger women, with an average age of 49.6 years.

BRCA1 and BRCA2 mutations were each found in 9.8% of cases, indicating low prevalence of genetic mutations.

Abstract

Background

Breast cancer (BC) is the most widespread cancer on a global scale, and its prevalence is likewise significant in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. Nevertheless, the data accessible regarding the epidemiology and histopathological characteristics of BC in clinical practice is restricted and primarily confined to research endeavors.

Aim

This study aims to investigate the histopathological profile of women diagnosed with BC seeking treatment at King Khalid Hospital in the Najran region of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.

Methods

In this retrospective study, BC biopsies performed on Saudi patients at King Khalid Hospital between January 2018 and December 2022 were examined. All records of breast biopsies from this timeframe were extracted from the hospital’s histopathology laboratory computer database after written permission from the head of the laboratory department. For all neoplastic lesions, the World Health Organization’s 2012 categorization of breast tumors was applied.

Results

A total of 61 women with BC were included. Women’s age ranged from 30 to 89 years, with a mean age of 49.6 ± 12.3 years. The most reported BC was invasive ductal carcinoma (IDC; 70.5%). Other types reported included invasive papillary carcinoma (8.2%), ductal carcinoma in situ (4.9%), and invasive lobular carcinoma (3.3%). A total of 14 (23%) of the study women had multifocal cancer. Ki-67 was high in 19 cases (31.1%); six (9.8%) had BRCA1 mutations, and six (9.8%) had BRCA2 mutations.

Conclusion

The current study revealed that BC was frequent among young females, mainly IDC, which was reported on both sides at different sizes and grades. Breast lump was the most commonly presented symptom and had a high representation in women with hormonal receptors, mainly estrogen receptors, but positive genetic testing was infrequent.