Prevalence of Triple Negative Breast Cancers from a Hospital-Based Cancer Registry in a Tertiary Care Hospital in Kerala, South India

Triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) is defined by the absence of estrogen receptor (ER), progesterone receptor (PR) and over expression of Human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (Her2neu). They are typically high-grade tumors and occur in young females. Our study is to determine the prevalence of triple negative breast cancers from a hospital-based cancer registry in the year 2016. This is a retrospective, descriptive study where secondary data analysis was done, by obtaining data from the hospital-based immunohistochemistry (IHC) register. The Estrogen receptor, Progesterone receptor and Her2neu receptor status of the breast cancers which presented to the hospital and the referral cases received for IHC in the year 2016 was obtained from the register which totaled to 335 cases. The type of breast carcinoma was also noted. In our study the mean age of breast cancer patients was 56.2±12.387 years. There was 331 (98.8%) females among the study population. The most prevalent type of breast cancer was invasive ductal carcinoma which was 330 (98.5%). We also found out the prevalence of mono negative, bi negative and triple negative breast cancers. The prevalence of triple negative breast cancer was 58 (17.31%). There was no statistically significant difference found between prevalence of triple negative breast cancer and age. Our study showed that the prevalence of triple negative receptor breast was 17.31% among the study population. This study would serve as a baseline study for further research to open up new therapeutic possibilities.