Family history of cancer associated with breast tumor clinicopathological features

Hereditary breast cancers have unique clinicopathological characteristics. Therefore, the objective of this study was to establish the relationship between self-reported family history of cancer and clinicopathological features in breast cancer patients from Washington, DC. Data on incident breast cancer cases from 2000 to 2010 were obtained from the Washington, DC Cancer Registry. Variables such as estrogen (ER), progesterone (PR), and human epidermal growth factor 2 (HER2) receptor status, as well as stage and grade, were analyzed in those that self-reported with (n = 1,734) and without a family history of cancer (n = 1,712). The breast cancer molecular subtypes were compared when ER, PR, and HER2 statuses were available. Furthermore, tumor characteristics were compared by race/ethnicity. Regression and chi-square analyses were performed. A report of family history was associated with age (OR = 1.27 95 % CI: 1.09-1.48; p < 0.0001), high grade tumors (OR = 1.29 95 % CI: 1.05-1.58; p = 0.02), and having ER and PR negative breast cancer (OR = 1.26 95 % CI: 1.02-1.57; p = 0.029). When tumor characteristics were compared by race/ethnicity, those that self-reported as African American with a family history had a higher frequency of ER negative tumors (OR = 1.51 95 % CI: 1.09-2.08; p = 0.008), PR negative tumors (OR = 1.46 95 % CI: 1.09-1.94; p = 0.028), grade 3 tumors (OR = 1.42 95 % CI: 1.05-1.93; p < 0.0001), and ER/PR negative tumors (OR = 1.5 95 % CI: 1.088-2.064; p = 0.01). These results suggest that a positive family history of cancer in African Americans should increase suspicions of hereditary cancer. Therefore, behavioral risk reduction activities, such as collecting a family history, may reduce late stage diagnosis and cancer mortality.