[Epidemiological and biologic profile of breast cancer in Fez-Boulemane, Morocco].

In a retrospective study of 265 patients with breast cancer over 3 years (January 2007-September 2009) we examined the epidemiological profile of breast cancer to determine the impact of biological and prognostic factors on survival over 3 years and on the epidemiology of this cancer. Estrogen (RE), progesterone (RP) and human epidermal growth factor receptors (HER2) were evaluated and RE/RP/HER2 status determined. The patients were young (median age 45 years). Invasive tumours were found in 95.5% of the women. The average tumour size was big [3.6 (SD 2.6) cm] and only 14% were histological grade 1. Large tumour size and high histological grade were independent of patient's age. Overall survival at 3 years was only 49% for the RE-/RP-/HER2- subtype and 75% for the RE-/RP-/HER2+ subtype, while it was 96% for the RE+/RP+/HER2- subtype. The young age, large tumour size and high histological grade in our population suggest a lack of awareness of women about breast cancer.