J Korean Breast Cancer Soc.  2004 Jun;7(2):72-83. 10.4048/jkbcs.2004.7.2.72.

Nationwide Korean Breast Cancer Data of 2002 The Korean Breast Cancer Society

• The Korean Breast Cancer Society

• KMID: 1917893
• DOI: http://doi.org/10.4048/jkbcs.2004.7.2.72

Abstract

PURPOSE
Through the national survey in 1996, the Korean Breast Cancer Society formulated the baseline data for breast cancer in Korea. The purposes of the present study were to determine the changing pattern of breast cancer patients. METHODS: Data were collected from 38 medical schools (70 hospitals) and 26 general hospitals and on-line Korea Breast Cancer Registration Program. RESULTS: In 2002, there were 7,551 total number of patients. The crude incidence rate of breast cancer in 2002 was 31.4 and the median age was 47.1 years. In 2002, mastectomy (65.4%), breast conserving operation (BCO) (32.5%) and others (2.1%) were used as operation methods, and the early breast cancer of stage 0, I was 37.0%. Compared to the data in 1996, 1998, 2000', the present data showed (1) an increase in the number of patients and the incidence rate, (2) higher proportions of young premenopausal patients, (3) increase in BCO proportions and immediate reconstruction after mastectomy, (4) increase in the rate of early cancer of stages 0 and 1, and decrease in patients with lymph node metastasis, (5) increase in the rate of patients whose breast cancer was detected through regular mammography check- ups, and (6) increase in patients with some risk factors. CONCLUSION: Several characteristics of Korean breast cancer patients seem to follow the patterns of western countries, and we need to understand the characteristics of breast cancer among Koreans through continuous investigations as the present study in the future.

Keyword

Breast cancer; Incidence; Operation; Stage; Korea

MeSH Terms

Breast Neoplasms*
Breast*
Hospitals, General
Humans
Incidence
Korea
Lymph Nodes
Mammography
Mastectomy
Neoplasm Metastasis
Risk Factors
Schools, Medical