[Age as a prognostic factor in early breast cancer].
OBJECTIVE
To analyze age as a prognostic factor in early breast cancer.


METHODS
Retrospective study analyzing the clinical profile and disease-free survival in a group of 280 subjects aged 25 to 81 years with stage I and II breast cancer followed-up in Porto Alegre, southern Brazil, from 1995 to 2000. Clinical, pathological, treatment and outcome data were obtained from medical records. Subjects were divided into two groups according to age at diagnosis (< or = 40 years and > 40 years). The two groups were compared for clinical stage, histology, hormone receptor expression, therapy and radiotherapy using the chi-square and/or Fisher's exact test and for analysis of survival the Kaplan-Meier method with a long-rank test.


RESULTS
Of 280 women studied, 54 (19.3%) were younger than 40 years. Both groups were similar regarding clinical stage, histology, and hormone receptor expression. The proportion of subjects with disease-free survival in the 56-month follow-up was significantly higher in those over 40 years (84% versus 70%). Proportionally, younger subjects received more adjuvant therapy (88.8% vs. 77.8%). Those women over 40 years were significantly more likely to remain disease-free (84%), and this difference was more remarkable when they were compared to those over 40 years at stage I breast cancer.


CONCLUSIONS
The study findings confirm that women younger than 40 years with early breast cancer have a poorer prognosis. However, this prognosis does not seem to be related to increased number of hormone receptor-negative cases. Younger patients who remained disease-free received more adjuvant therapy, suggesting a positive effect of chemotherapy and endocrine therapy.
Garicochea
Bernardo
B
Serviço de Oncologia Clínica, Hospital São Lucas, Pontifícia Universidade Católica do Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil. bgarico@terra.com.br
Morelle
Alessandra
A
Andrighetti
Ana Elisa
AE
Cancella
Anna
A
Bós
Angelo
A
Werutsky
Gustavo
G
D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000628:therapy*; D018572:Disease-Free Survival; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D009367:Neoplasm Staging; D011379:Prognosis; D012189:Retrospective Studies