Improving Treatment Protocols

California Cancer Registry

The California Cancer Registry (CCR) initiated a descriptive study to characterize a specific type of breast cancer known as "triple-negative" (estrogen-receptor negative, progesterone-receptor negative, and human epidermal growth factor receptor-2 negative) breast cancer. This type of breast cancer is not amenable to any form of endocrine therapy, and efforts to develop targeted therapies are underway.

The results showed that the following factors were associated with triple-negative breast cancer—

• Younger age at diagnosis.
• African American race or ethnicity.
• More advanced stage at diagnosis.
• Lack of cell type differentiation.
• Lower socioeconomic status.
• Shortened survival.

The CCR now requires detailed information about these tumor markers.