Abstract
ABSTRACT
Objective
To determine the annual rate of breast cancer in North of Jordan and describe their main epidemiological characteristics through the year 2007.
Subjects and Methods
In the period between January 2007 and December 2007, 36 new female cases had histo-pathologically proven primary breast cancer at Prince Rashed Bin Al-Hassan Military Hospital, Jordan. Breast cancer recurrence or metastasis were excluded. The age-adjusted standardized rates, and standardized rate ratio were calculated by a directly age-standardized method and the World Health Organization “standard population” expressed per 100,000 inhabitants. The 2006 civilian female population of the North Jordan was estimated to be 750,000 and approximately one-third (250,000) hold a military health insurance, based on the 2006 census.
Results
The crude rate of breast cancer in the North Jordan was 14.37/100,000 females per year. The age-adjusted rate was 24.29/100,000 females. 35-39 years age group showed a relatively high age-specific rate, and then the rate slightly attenuated until 45-49 years of age group, when they gradually increased, to reach the peak rate at 60-64 years of age group, then slightly declined. Cancer of the right breast was noted more than left breast. Right-to-left standardized rate ratio was 2.18. Upper lateral quadrant was the most frequent location of cancer. The age-adjusted rate was 16.48/100,000 per year. Infiltrating duct carcinoma was the commonest histological type (86.11%), followed by lobular carcinoma (8.33%), and mixed (duct and lobular) carcinoma (5.56%).
Conclusion
The overall age-adjusted incidence of breast cancer in the North Jordan was 24.29 per 100,000 females. The upper lateral quadrant was the commonest site and infiltrating duct carcinoma was the most common histological type. As the rate increased with increasing age, and the women of more than 40 years are likely to benefit the most from breast screening. (Rawal Med J 2010;35: ).
Keywords
Breast cancer, epidemiology, Jordan, infiltrating ductal cell carcinoma.

INTRODUCTION
According to data from the Jordan National Cancer Registry, breast cancer is the most common malignant neoplasm affecting Jordanian females.1 It is also the most common cancer in females all over the world and the second leading cause of death among women, especially beyond the age of 45 year.2-4 In American females, it is accounts for 32% of all cancers.5 Arab countries have reported an early age of onset and a preponderance of aggressive breast cancer phenotype,6 on other hand females with breast cancer in Jordan are significantly younger than those in the West, with an average age ranging from 45-47 years.3 Major risk factors for cancer of the breast include advanced age and positive family history of breast cancer in first and second-degree relatives that may be attributed to genetic influences such as breast cancer 1, early onset (BRCA1) together with patented by Myriad

Key words: Breast cancer, epidemiology, Jordan, infiltrating ductal cell carcinoma.