Absence Of Racial Predilection For Aggressive Tumor Phenotype Among Low Socio-Economic Status Women With Breast Cancer

10554 Background: Survival disparity for African-American (AA) women with breast cancer has been associated with more frequent aggressive tumor phenotype, manifested as higher stage, high grade and negative estrogen/progesterone receptor (ER/PR) status. However, AAs more often have low socioeconomic status (SES), and other studies suggest that low SES, not simply race, is associated with these prognostic features. We hypothesized that low SES AAs and non-AAs with breast cancer would demonstrate similar aggressive tumor phenotype and prognosis. Methods: Variables were analyzed for 538 consecutive low SES women treated between 1/00–12/05. Comparison between racial groups was done with independent t-test & Chi-square test. Associations were examined with logistic-regression, and compared as odds ratios (OR) & 95% confidence intervals (CI). Survival was computed using Log-rank test & Kaplan-Meier method. Results: At median follow-up of 32 months, there were 335 AAs & 203 non-AAs. No significant differences occurred between racial groups for tumor size & grade, node status, stage, ER/PR status, and frequency of survival events. HER2+ status was more frequent in non-AAs (25.1% vs. 17.9% AAs; p=0.048). No significant differences occurred between races for treatment with surgery, chemo & endocrine therapy, however radiation was more common in non-AAs (73.4% vs. 62.2% AAs; p=0.012) but AAs were significantly older (p=0.0001) and had more comorbid disease (p=0.0001). See Table for prevalence of aggressive tumor features. Age-adjusted logistic-regression showed no racial predilection for negative ER/PR, high grade and higher stage, but AAs were less likely to be HER2+ (OR=0.644; 95% CI=0.415–1.00; p=0.05). Log-rank tests showed no differences between racial groups for age & stage-specific disease-free & overall survival. Conclusions: These results confirm that among similar low SES women with breast cancer, there is no racial predilection for aggressive tumor phenotype and poor prognosis. [Table: see text] No significant financial relationships to disclose.