Association of Clinicopathological Features With Locoregional Recurrence and Disease Outcomes Among Female Breast Cancer Patients at Tikur Anbessa Specialized Hospital, Ethiopia: A Hospital-Based Retrospective Cohort Study.

IntroductionThe clinicopathological features of breast cancer (BC) influence treatment decisions and disease prognosis. Locoregional recurrence is frequently observed among BC patients despite the availability of several treatment options. The objective of this study was to determine the association of clinicopathological features with locoregional recurrence and disease outcomes of female BC patients in Tikur Anbessa Specialized Hospital (TASH), Ethiopia.MethodsA hospital-based retrospective cohort study was conducted on 258 female BC patients treated at TASH between September 2017 and September 2020. Data were extracted from the patients' charts using Kobo Toolbox and analyzed using SPSS version 26. Median time to recurrence was estimated, and recurrence-free survival (RFS) was assessed using Kaplan-Meier survival analysis. Life-table methods were used to estimate survival probabilities over the follow-up period. The assumptions of cox proportional hazard were checked, and variables were analyzed in bivariate and multivariable Cox proportional hazard model. Adjusted Hazard Ratio (AHR) with 95% CI was calculated for the significant predictive variables and statistical significance was declared at p-value<0.05.ResultThe majority of BC patients presented with clinical stage II or III disease, with a median age of 40 years. The incidence rate of BC recurrence was 5.36 per 100 person-years (95%CI=3.85-7.07). The median recurrence free survival (RFS) was 55 months (95% CI=41.73-68.26). The proportion of RFS at 12, 24, and 60 months were 92.5%, 81.4%, and 41.7%, respectively. Histologic grade III (AHR=3.22, 95% CI (1.37-7.6)), and lymph node involvement (AHR=1.175, 95%CI, (1.11-1.27)) were independent predictors of increased risk of breast cancer recurrence.ConclusionThere was a high incidence of locoregional recurrence among BC patients. Pathological variables, including histologic grade and lymph node involvement, may help predict the risk of breast cancer recurrence and should be considered in breast cancer management.