The epidemiological and clinicopathological features of breast cancer in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia

Objectives: To investigate the epidemiological and clinicopathological features of breast cancer (BC) in Saudi Arabia to improve decisions regarding resource allocation, disease control, and management.

Methods: We retrieved the records of all patients who presented with histologically proven BC at King Fahad Medical City between 2019 and 2020. The data were analyzed quantitatively, and the results were expressed as percentages and frequencies.

Results: This study comprised 419 patients. The mean age was 50.13 (± 10.96) years. The majority of the patients were obese (56.6%), and approximately a quarter had a history of oral contraceptive pill use, breast biopsy, or an affected family member. Most cases were from the central region (80.1%), followed by the southern provinces (12.7%). Breast lumps were the most common complaint (89%), whereas hypertension and diabetes mellitus were the most common comorbidities. Invasive ductal carcinoma was the most common pathologic type (89.7%). Most patients presented with TNM stages II and III (55.2%), and 27.7% had metastasis. The main therapeutic modalities included radical mastectomy (63.8%), neoadjuvant chemotherapy (60.4%), and adjuvant radiotherapy (82.9%).

Conclusion: In Saudi Arabia, a trend of BC incidence migration towards older patients may be ensuing. However, prediction of an advanced and aggressive presentation requires the enhancement of screening programs and standardized protocols for disease management.