1037 Breast cancer in elderly: Management and clinical outcome in 317 patients

Abstract

This is a retrospective study including 317 patients aged 70 years and over referred to our department between 1980 and 1990 for breast cancer. 113 out of 238 women with resectable disease (84 stage I—II, 154 stage IIIa) underwent a conventional treatment (surgery and/or radiation therapy), 64 underwent a no conventional combination of treatment (limited surgery and/or hormone therapy and/or radiation therapy), 40 underwent a single no conventional therapy (hormone therapy, radiotherapy, or limited surgery), 21 were not treated. 79 nave a no oprable extended disease (47 stage IHb, 32 stage IV) and were treated with a combination of treatment. Five years local-regional control in patients with resectable breast carcinoma was significantly higher (76%) in conventional treatment group than in other therapeutic groups (48% for no conventional combination treatment and 34% for single treatment). No significant difference in 5 years survival rate was noted between conventional therapy group and no conventional combination therapy group (respectively 64 and 60%) whereas 5 years survival rate was significantly lower in single therapy group (39%) (chi square test). In patients with resectable disease, 29% of the deaths were related to breast carcinoma in the conventional treatment group, 37% in the combination group and 84% in the minimal treatment group. Conventional treatment did not lead to a higher frequency of complication than that of younger population. 5 year survival rate was 65% in the extended disease group. High survival rates and frequency of deaths related to breast cancer cali for validated guidelines in elderly. Combinations of no conventional treat-ments give good 5 years survival rates emphasizing the interest of this therapeutical approach.