Abstract
Breast cancer prognosis and breast cancer molecular subtype vary by race/ethnicity. We determined whether the distribution
of breast cancer subtypes varies among different Asian ethnic groups. Using immunohistochemical surrogates for the four molecularly
defined breast cancer subtypes, we characterized breast cancer subtype for 346 Asian subjects treated at two New York City
institutions. We found that Chinese and Japanese had a higher proportion of good-prognosis luminal A cancers (66.7 and 80.0%,
respectively) compared to Filipinos and Koreans (48.5 and 47.1%) (P = 0.001). Filipinos had a higher proportion of HER-2/neu positive cancers (45.6%) compared to other ethnic groups (23.6%)
(P = 0.002). Koreans had a higher proportion of triple negative cancers (23.5%) compared to other ethnic groups (7.5%) (P = 0.06). The results suggest that differences exist in breast cancer tumor biology among distinct Asian ethnic groups and
have implications for cancer care and research. Future studies of breast cancer in Asian-Americans should distinguish among
the different ethnic groups.
of breast cancer subtypes varies among different Asian ethnic groups. Using immunohistochemical surrogates for the four molecularly
defined breast cancer subtypes, we characterized breast cancer subtype for 346 Asian subjects treated at two New York City
institutions. We found that Chinese and Japanese had a higher proportion of good-prognosis luminal A cancers (66.7 and 80.0%,
respectively) compared to Filipinos and Koreans (48.5 and 47.1%) (P = 0.001). Filipinos had a higher proportion of HER-2/neu positive cancers (45.6%) compared to other ethnic groups (23.6%)
(P = 0.002). Koreans had a higher proportion of triple negative cancers (23.5%) compared to other ethnic groups (7.5%) (P = 0.06). The results suggest that differences exist in breast cancer tumor biology among distinct Asian ethnic groups and
have implications for cancer care and research. Future studies of breast cancer in Asian-Americans should distinguish among
the different ethnic groups.
- Content Type Journal Article
- Category Original Paper
- Pages 1-5
- DOI 10.1007/s10903-012-9577-7
- Authors
- Ellen Chuang, Division of Hematology/Oncology, Department of Medicine, Weill Cornell Medical College, 425 E. 61st Street, 8th Floor, New York, NY 10065, USA
- Paul Christos, Division of Biostatistics and Epidemiology, Department of Public Health, Weill Cornell Medical College, New York, NY, USA
- Arielle Flam, Division of Hematology/Oncology, Department of Medicine, Weill Cornell Medical College, 425 E. 61st Street, 8th Floor, New York, NY 10065, USA
- Katherine McCarville, Department of Medicine, Beth Israel Comprehensive Cancer Center, New York, NY, USA
- Melissa Forst, Department of Medicine, Beth Israel Comprehensive Cancer Center, New York, NY, USA
- Sandra Shin, Department of Pathology, Weill Cornell Medical College, New York, NY, USA
- Linda Vahdat, Division of Hematology/Oncology, Department of Medicine, Weill Cornell Medical College, 425 E. 61st Street, 8th Floor, New York, NY 10065, USA
- Alexander Swistel, Department of Surgery, Weill Cornell Medical College, New York, NY, USA
- Rache Simmons, Department of Surgery, Weill Cornell Medical College, New York, NY, USA
- Michael Osborne, Department of Surgery, Beth Israel Comprehensive Cancer Center, New York, NY, USA
- Anne Moore, Division of Hematology/Oncology, Department of Medicine, Weill Cornell Medical College, 425 E. 61st Street, 8th Floor, New York, NY 10065, USA
- Madhu Mazumdar, Division of Biostatistics and Epidemiology, Department of Public Health, Weill Cornell Medical College, New York, NY, USA
- Paula Klein, Department of Medicine, Beth Israel Comprehensive Cancer Center, New York, NY, USA
- Journal Journal of Immigrant and Minority Health
- Online ISSN 1557-1920
- Print ISSN 1557-1912