Epidemiological Trends and Molecular Characterization of Breast Carcinoma in Erbil, Kurdistan Region of Iraq

Mahmoud A. Chawsheen; Ahmed A. Al-Naqshbandi; Rivan H.  Ishaac; Fairuz A.  Kaka Sur

doi:10.14500/aro.11860

Mahmoud A. Chawsheen (1) Medical Research Center, Hawler Medical University, Erbil, Kurdistan Region – F.R. Iraq; (2) College of Pharmacy, Cihan University-Erbil, Erbil, Kurdistan Region – F.R. Iraq https://orcid.org/0000-0003-2277-1984
Ahmed A. Al-Naqshbandi Department of Laboratory, Rizgary Teaching Hospital, Erbil, Kurdistan Region– F.R. Iraq https://orcid.org/0000-0002-0843-7958
Rivan H. Ishaac Department of Laboratory, Rizgary Teaching Hospital, Erbil, Kurdistan Region– F.R. Iraq https://orcid.org/0009-0000-1411-6926
Fairuz A. Kaka Sur Department of Laboratory, Rizgary Teaching Hospital, Erbil, Kurdistan Region– F.R. Iraq https://orcid.org/0009-0001-4316-8757

Keywords: Breast cancer, Mastectomy, Tru-cut biopsy, Invasive ductal carcinoma, Estrogen receptor, Progesterone receptor, Human epidermal growth factor receptor

Abstract

Accumulated evidence suggests a tangible increase in breast cancer (BC) patients in the Kurdistan region of Iraq, yet data on their histological and molecular subtypes remain limited. This study aims to assess the prevalence, histopathologic features, and molecular profiles of BC incidences in Erbil. For this purpose, 261 clinical records of histologically confirmed BC cases from Rizgary Teaching Hospital are analyzed. Results reveal that invasive ductal carcinoma (IDC) emerged as the most frequent histological subtype. In terms of hormonal receptor status, mastectomy patients who tested positive for estrogen receptor (ER), progesterone receptor (PR), and human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2) are 52.49%, 50.57%, and 18.01%, respectively, and the corresponding figures for Tru-Cut biopsy (TCB) patients are 24.90% for both ER and PR and 6.13% for HER2. Regarding tumor grading, mastectomy patients aged 51–60 have the highest grade II frequency, and TCB patients under 40 years and those between 41 and 50 years show the highest occurrence of the same grade. Moreover, tumor stages II and III made up nearly two-thirds of all cases across all age groups. For the molecular subtypes, luminal A is the most prevalent in both mastectomy and TCB patients. In conclusion, IDC is the predominant BC subtype in the region, with a higher prevalence of ER and PR positivity compared to HER2. Luminal A is the dominant molecular subtype. While stages II and III are common across all ages, tumors of grade II and stage II are frequently observed in older ages.

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Author Biographies

Mahmoud A. Chawsheen, (1) Medical Research Center, Hawler Medical University, Erbil, Kurdistan Region – F.R. Iraq; (2) College of Pharmacy, Cihan University-Erbil, Erbil, Kurdistan Region – F.R. Iraq

Mahmoud Ahmed Chawsheen is an Assistant Professor at the Medical Research Center, Hawler Medical University, Erbil. He got the B.Sc. degree in niological sciences and the M.Sc. degree in cell biology, both from Salahaddin University. He also got a Ph.D. in cell biology from the University of Reading, UK. His research interests include cell signaling, cancer cell death and migration, multi-drug resistance, and docking studies. Dr. Mahmoud is a member of the European Association for Cancer Research and the Royal Microscopical Society.

Ahmed A. Al-Naqshbandi, Department of Laboratory, Rizgary Teaching Hospital, Erbil, Kurdistan Region– F.R. Iraq

Ahmed A. Al-Naqshbandi is a specialist in molecular immunology at the Department of Laboratory (Microbiology Unit), Rizgary Teaching Hospital, Director of Health, Erbil. He got the B.Sc. degree in biology from Salahaddin University, the M.Sc. degree in microbiology (immunology) from Hawler Medical University, and the Ph.D. degree in molecular immunology from Salahaddin University. His research interests are in immunology, bacteriology, and molecular biology. Dr. Ahmed is a member of the Kurdistan Biology Syndicate.

Rivan H. Ishaac, Department of Laboratory, Rizgary Teaching Hospital, Erbil, Kurdistan Region– F.R. Iraq

Rivan H. Isaac is a specialist in histopathology at the Department of Laboratory (Histopathology Unit), Rizgary Teaching Hospital, Director of Health, Erbil. He got the MSC. degree in histopathology from Hawler Medical University. His research interests are in immunohistochemistry. Dr. Rivan H. Isaac is a member of the Kurdistan Doctors Syndicate.

Fairuz A. Kaka Sur, Department of Laboratory, Rizgary Teaching Hospital, Erbil, Kurdistan Region– F.R. Iraq

Fairuz A. Kakasur is a specialist in histopathology at the Department of Laboratory (Histopathology Unit), Rizgary Teaching Hospital, Director of Health, Erbil. She got the M.Sc. degree in histopathology from Hawler Medical University; her research interests are in immunohistochemistry. Dr. Fairuz Abdullah Kakasur is a member of the Kurdistan Doctors Syndicate.

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