Clinicodemographic Characteristics of Bangladeshi Women with Triple-Negative Breast Cancer

Open Access

Abstract

Background: Triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) is an aggressive subtype of breast cancer with a lack of expression of estrogen receptor (ER), progesterone receptor (PR), and human epidermal growth factor receptor-2 (HER-2). It disproportionately affects younger women and has been linked to poor prognosis and treatment options. This study aimed to describe the clinicodemographic characteristics of Bangladeshi women diagnosed with TNBC.  Methods & Materials: This cross-sectional descriptive study was conducted at the Biochemistry department of Dhaka Medical College in collaboration with Bangladesh Medical University from January 2022 to December 2022. 68 female patients with histopathologically confirmed TNBC were recruited through purposive sampling. Data were collected on age, body mass index (BMI), contraceptive use, obstetric history (parity), and family history of breast cancer. Descriptive statistics such as frequencies, percentages, and mean ± standard deviation were utilised for analysis.  Results: The mean age of the patients was 43.71 ± 9.84 years, and the highest proportion (20.6%) was in the age group of 41-45 years. Mean BMI was 23.95 ± 3.38 kg/m². Oral contraceptive use was reported by 47.1% of patients, and 47.1% had never used any form of contraception. Multiparity was the most common obstetric profile (70.6%). Family history of breast cancer was present in only 5.9% of the patients, suggesting that most cases were sporadic in nature.  Conclusion: TNBC in Bangladeshi women mainly affects women in their fourth and fifth decades, and multiparity and oral contraceptive use are notable in the women's associated features. The mostly sporadic nature of TNBC in this population suggests the need for population-level screening and awareness programmes.