title: Breast cancer in women 70 years of age or older.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To investigate the impact of age as a prognostic factor in older patients with breast cancer and to discuss the role of surgery in this category of patients.
  
  
  METHODS
  A retrospective study.
  
  
  METHODS
  A tertiary care university teaching hospital.
  
  
  METHODS
  One hundred ninety patients aged 70 years or older (mean age: 75 years) were treated for breast cancer from 1967 through 1991. These patients were compared with 190 younger patients (mean age: 52 years) and matched on the basis of T and N categories (TNM staging system) and surgical procedures.
  
  
  METHODS
  Disease-free survival, breast cancer-specific survival.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The 10-year actuarial breast cancer-specific survival was 66% for older patients and 56% for younger patients (P = .224). The 10-year actuarial disease-free survival was 54% for older patients and 45% for younger patients (P = .136). Univariate and multivariate survival analysis revealed that tumor size and nodal stage were significant prognostic factors for both older and younger patients.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Treatment with curative intent, similar to that adopted in younger patients, is appropriate for women over the age of 70 with breast cancer.
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgery, Catholic University of Rome, Italy.
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Masetti
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Antinori
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Terribile
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Marra
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Granone
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Magistrelli
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Picciocchi
mesh_terms: D000206:Actuarial Analysis; D000328:Adult; D017677:Age Distribution; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000401:mortality* / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery; D018572:Disease-Free Survival; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007558:Italy / Q000453:epidemiology; D008408:Mastectomy; D008875:Middle Aged; D009364:Neoplasm Recurrence, Local / Q000453:epidemiology; D009367:Neoplasm Staging; D011379:Prognosis; D012189:Retrospective Studies