Use of adjuvant systemic therapy for early breast cancer among women 65 years of age and older.
BACKGROUND
The National Institutes of Health (NIH) consensus statement recommends adjuvant therapy for early breast cancer irrespective of age. However, the actual use of such therapy is not well documented among women over 65 years of age.


METHODS
We studied the frequency of use of adjuvant therapy and report the receipt of this therapy among 200 women aged > or = 65 years diagnosed with early breast cancer who were identified from the New Jersey State Cancer Registry.


RESULTS
In this population, 28% of patients received chemotherapy alone or in combination with hormonal therapy, whereas 42% received hormonal therapy alone. Less than half of the women with estrogen receptor-negative tumors received chemotherapy alone or in combination with hormonal treatment. Adjuvant therapy was not prescribed in 30% of patients.


CONCLUSIONS
Despite NIH recommendations, the frequency of use of adjuvant therapy in New Jersey is low among women over 65 years of age, regardless of their receptor status.
Balasubramanian
Bijal A
BA
Department of Family Medicine, University of Medicineand Dentistry of New Jersey, Robert Wood Johnson MedicalSchool, Somerset, NJ 08873, USA. balasuba@umdnj.edu
Gandhi
Sampada K
SK
Demissie
Kitaw
K
August
David A
DA
Kohler
Betsy
B
Osinubi
Omowunmi Y
OY
Rhoads
George G
GG
D002288:Adenocarcinoma, Mucinous / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000453:epidemiology; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000971:Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000453:epidemiology; D018270:Carcinoma, Ductal, Breast / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000453:epidemiology; D018275:Carcinoma, Lobular / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000453:epidemiology; D017024:Chemotherapy, Adjuvant / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008207:Lymphatic Metastasis; D009515:New Jersey; D018426:SEER Program; D015996:Survival Rate; D016896:Treatment Outcome