[The age-specific results of the adjuvant radiotherapy of breast carcinoma].
BACKGROUND
Aim of our work was to evaluate the standards of treatment in elder women with breast cancer and their results of radiation therapy.


METHODS
In our hospital 218 breast cancer patients were treated in the years 1990 and 1991. Forty-three women were younger than 50 years of age (group I), 92 between 50 and 64 years (group II), 83 elder than 64 years (group III). One hundred and forty-nine patients underwent mastectomy, 65 patients had conservative treatment (Table 5). Four patients were not operable. All of the patients were irradiated uniformly loco-regionally with 50 Gy Co-60-photons, followed by a boost to the tumor bed with 10 Gy with 6- to 12-MeV electrons. Forty-four patients had an additional chemotherapy.


RESULTS
The 5-year survival rate was 79.8% (n = 174), the disease free survival was 59.1% (n = 129) (Table 6). The mean rate of local recurrence was 3.6% (n = 8), 4% after mastectomy (n = 6) and 3% (n = 2) with breast conservation. Age group specific 5-year survival rates were 72% (I), 85.6% (II) and 77.1% (III), respectively, disease free survival rates were 48.8% (I), 65.2% (II) and 57.8% (III), respectively. The rates of local recurrence were 9.3% (I), 3.2% (II) and 1.2% (III), respectively. Significant age group specific differences in surgical and radiotherapeutical treatment could not be found.


CONCLUSIONS
The curative chance of treatment has to be used in every age. A treatment of elder patients below the actual valid standards of treatment is not justified.
Schultze
J
J
Klinik für Strahlentherapie, Klinikum der Christian-Albrechts-Universität zu Kiel. schultze@onco.uni-kiel.de
Höft
E
E
Kimmig
B
B
D000328:Adult; D017677:Age Distribution; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000401:mortality / Q000473:pathology / Q000532:radiotherapy* / Q000601:surgery; D017024:Chemotherapy, Adjuvant / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D018572:Disease-Free Survival; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008207:Lymphatic Metastasis; D008408:Mastectomy; D008875:Middle Aged; D009364:Neoplasm Recurrence, Local / Q000453:epidemiology; D009367:Neoplasm Staging; D018714:Radiotherapy, Adjuvant / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D016896:Treatment Outcome