title: Evaluation of the effect of age on treatment-related mortality and relapse in patients with high-risk primary breast cancer receiving high-dose chemotherapy.
abstract: There are contradictory results regarding a potential increased responsiveness of younger women with high-risk primary breast cancer to high-dose compared with standard-dose chemotherapy. Observations from some, but not all, randomized trials, suggest that the potential benefit of high-dose treatment may be limited to younger patients. We analyzed, at median follow-up of 8 years, the prognostic effect of age in 264 patients enrolled in prospective phase II and III trials of high-dose chemotherapy, using a uniform regimen. Median age was 49 (range, 36-71). Among patients < or = 49 and > 49 years of age, the relapse rates were 27% and 25%, respectively (P = 0.7). In those age groups, the transplant-related mortality rates were 6.5% and 4%, respectively (P = 0.8). No age differences were observed between patients surviving transplant (median age 49) and those who experienced transplant-related mortality (median 47.5) (P = 0.9). Event-free survival (P = 0.3) and overall survival (P = 0.4) did not differ between patients < or = 49 and > 49 years of age. In conclusion, we did not detect a detrimental effect of older age on transplant-related mortality or relapse after high-dose chemotherapy for high-risk primary breast cancer at long-term follow-up. The debate about the age effect in this population remains unsettled.
authors.affiliation: University of Colorado Bone Marrow Transplant Program, Denver, CO, USA. ynieto@unav.es
authors.forename: Yago
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Nieto
authors.forename: Elizabeth J
authors.initials: EJ
authors.lastname: Shpall
authors.forename: Scott I
authors.initials: SI
authors.lastname: Bearman
authors.forename: Roy B
authors.initials: RB
authors.lastname: Jones
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D000368:Aged; D018931:Antineoplastic Agents, Hormonal / Q000627:therapeutic use; D000971:Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000401:mortality / Q000601:surgery; D002330:Carmustine / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects; D002945:Cisplatin / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects; D017322:Clinical Trials, Phase II as Topic / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D017326:Clinical Trials, Phase III as Topic / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D003131:Combined Modality Therapy; D003520:Cyclophosphamide / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects; D018572:Disease-Free Survival; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D004317:Doxorubicin / Q000008:administration & dosage; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D018380:Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplantation / Q000401:mortality / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D008408:Mastectomy / Q000379:methods / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D008875:Middle Aged; D011379:Prognosis; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012306:Risk; D016019:Survival Analysis; D013629:Tamoxifen / Q000627:therapeutic use; D019172:Transplantation Conditioning / Q000379:methods / Q000401:mortality / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D016896:Treatment Outcome
chemical_list: D018931:Antineoplastic Agents, Hormonal; D013629:Tamoxifen; D004317:Doxorubicin; D003520:Cyclophosphamide; D002945:Cisplatin; D002330:Carmustine