title: Adjuvant therapy for breast cancer in Kyushu.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  There is lack of information on the present status of adjuvant therapy for breast cancer in Kyushu. Therefore, the Kyushu Breast Cancer Study Group (KBC-SG) started registering newly diagnosed breast cancer patients who were to receive adjuvant therapy.
  
  
  METHODS
  During a period from 2001 to 2003, institutions participating in KBC-SG registered new patients who underwent curative surgical treatment for breast cancer to the registration office. One year later, the office sent them inquiries to gather any missing information.
  
  
  RESULTS
  A total of 2284 patients were registered from 49 institutions. The mean age was 55, ranging from 30 to 93 years, and 46% had stage I disease. Estrogen and/or progesterone receptor was positive in 71% by immunoperoxidase staining, and HER2 was expressed in 297 (33%) of 906 patients. Twenty percent of the patients underwent adjuvant radiation therapy with or without antineoplastic agents. Overall, 98% received hormonal and/or cytotoxic agents. Anthracycline-containing regimens were given to 628 of 1285 (49%) patients with chemotherapy, while 360 (28%) received oral 5-fluorouracil derivatives with or without oral cyclophosphamide.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Anthracycline combination chemotherapy was commonly used as adjuvant therapy, but there were over a quarter of patients only given oral 5-FU derivatives, which might not be recommended by worldwide consensus. Adjuvant radiation therapy was also given to only 20% of the patients in Kyushu, which might be fewer than the report by the Japanese Breast Cancer Society. Based on these data, the KBC-SG will continue cooperative studies to improve the quality of adjuvant treatment for early breast cancer.
authors.affiliation: Department of Internal Medicine, School of Medicine, Fukuoka University Hospital, 7-45-1 Nanakuma, Jonan-ku, Fukuoke City 814-0810, Japan.
authors.forename: Shinichi
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Wakamatsu
authors.forename: Shoshu
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Mitsuyama
authors.forename: Kiyoshi
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Nanba
authors.forename: Reiki
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Nishimura
authors.forename: Kiyoshi
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Nishimura
authors.forename: Yoshiatsu
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Sagara
authors.forename: Maki
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Tanaka
authors.forename: Nobumitsu
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Tamaki
authors.forename: Toshihiro
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Koga
authors.forename: Kazuo
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Tamura
mesh_terms: D002288:Adenocarcinoma, Mucinous / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000532:radiotherapy / Q000601:surgery; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000971:Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols / Q000627:therapeutic use; D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000532:radiotherapy* / Q000601:surgery; D018270:Carcinoma, Ductal, Breast / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000532:radiotherapy / Q000601:surgery; D017024:Chemotherapy, Adjuvant; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007564:Japan; D008875:Middle Aged; D009361:Neoplasm Invasiveness / Q000473:pathology; D009367:Neoplasm Staging; D018714:Radiotherapy, Adjuvant; D018719:Erb-b2 Receptor Tyrosine Kinases / Q000378:metabolism; D011960:Receptors, Estrogen / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D018719:Erb-b2 Receptor Tyrosine Kinases; D011960:Receptors, Estrogen