Laterality of breast cancer at Dr George Mukhari Academic Hospital.

Abstract

BACKGROUND\nThe purpose of this descriptive study was to determine and compare the incidence of left-sided and rightsided breast cancer at Dr George Mukhari Academic Hospital from January 2000 to June 2016. It aimed to determine if there was a significant variation in laterality of breast cancer at our institution.\n\n\nMETHOD\nA retrospective study. Medical records of breast cancer (BC) patients who were newly diagnosed from January 2000 to June 2016 were reviewed. Emphasis was on biopsy results (histology and/or cytology) and/or history of chemotherapy, and breast cancer laterality.\n\n\nRESULTS\nOut of 1482 patients, 1427 had unilateral BC and 55 (3.7%) bilateral cancer. A total of 789 (55.3%) patients had left-sided breast cancer (LSBC) and 638 (44.7%) had right BC. Left BC was 10.6% more common than right BC with a left to right laterality ratio (LRR) of 1.24. There was a statistically significant relationship between laterality and stage (p = 0.050), with the right breast having more advanced stage cancers (88.7%) compared to the left breast (85%). There was no statistically significant difference between age, site and histological type of BC and laterality (p = 0.740, p = 0.052, p = 0.394 respectively).\n\n\nCONCLUSION\nLeft to right BC excess does exist in patients that were newly diagnosed at Dr George Mukhari Academic Hospital, South Africa, from January 2000 to June 2016.