Skip to main content

Most Common Form of Breast Cancer Still Presents Risk for Death Years Later

TOP - Daily

More than 10 years after diagnosis, women with the most common and least aggressive subtype of breast cancer were still at risk of death from the disease, according to a Kaiser Permanente study.

Published in the journal Cancer Epidemiology, Biomarkers & Prevention, the 21-year study included nearly 1000 women from Kaiser Permanente Southern California. Researchers discovered that molecular subtypes of breast cancer were key predictors of breast cancer mortality. More specifically, women with luminal A tumors remained at risk of death from the disease more than 10 years after diagnosis.

Luminal A is the most common of the 4 molecular subtypes of breast cancer and is responsible for 42% to 59% of all breast cancer cases.

“The findings of this study indicate that it is important to consider breast cancer molecular subtypes in determining the optimal treatment for women with breast cancer,” said study lead author Reina Haque, PhD, MPH, from Kaiser Permanente Southern California’s Department of Research & Evaluation. “Women with luminal A tumors – the least aggressive but most common cancerous breast tumor – could benefit from extended treatment to improve their chances for long-term survival.”

Source: Kaiser Permanente.