title: The curability of breast cancer.
abstract: The age-correlated survival rates for 982 women treated for localised breast cancer were analysed retrospectively. Analysis by size of the primary cancer showed that those with smaller cancers had a significantly higher survival rate and a significantly reduced probability of dying of cancer. Cured groups of patients were identified for all but those with the smallest tumours--2.0 cm in diameter or smaller. A long period of follow-up (to 25 years) is necessary to establish the presence of a large cured group in such cases.
mesh_terms: D000367:Age Factors; D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000401:mortality* / Q000601:surgery / Q000628:therapy; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D009362:Neoplasm Metastasis; D009364:Neoplasm Recurrence, Local / Q000401:mortality; D012189:Retrospective Studies