RISK FACTORS FOR THE DEVELOPMENT OF BRAIN METASTASES IN PATIENTS WITH METASTATIC BREAST CANCER

Metastatic breast cancer is the second most common cancer associated with brain metastases;it has become a major life-limiting problem in those patients with metastatic breast cancer.This study aimed to detect early brain metastasis and intent to manage so to decrease disability and mortality in patients with breast cancer.This is a retrospective study analysing patients with metastatic breast cancer during the period from February 2018 to August 2019 at Basrah Oncology Centre which is the main tertiary referral hospital serving the southern part of Iraq. During the study duration (around 18 months), we found that risk factors for developing brain metastasis are tumour size, nodal involvement, tumour grade, hormone receptor (if negative), human epidermal growth factor2 (If positive) and radiotherapy (if not given as adjuvant) .In conclusion, the tumour size, grade, nodal involvement, whether the hormone receptors positive or negative, and if the patient received radiotherapy or not, all are predictive factors tobe considered, so patients should have appropriate imaging technique.Key words: Brain metastasis, breast cancer, risk factors.