title: [Trends in stage and age characteristics of the female breast cancer treated in 11-year period at University Hospital "Dubrava"].
abstract: In a retrospective study we analyzed and compared the factors of local spread of breast cancer, namely tumor size and status of regional lymph nodes and patient age in the period from 1997 to 2007. The study includes only those patients in whom the diagnosis was made in an open surgical biopsy and it was possible to determine the local extent of disease at the time of diagnosis (pT and pN stage), a total of 1202 patients. We also compared the findings in patients younger and older than 50 years. The average tumor size at diagnosis was 2.2 cm and ranged between 1.7 cm (2005) and 2.4 cm (1997, 1999). The percentage of metastases in regional lymph nodes varied between 37% (2001) and 50% (2000 and 2006). The average of 6% of all cases of breast cancer was diagnosed in non-invasive (in situ) stage. The mean patient age was 56.8 years and for the observed age ranged between 54.3 (1999) and 59.1 (2004) years. There was no statistically significant difference in relation to disease stage or patient age at diagnosis observed throughout the entire period of time. There was also no statistical difference in stage of disease at the time of diagnosis in patients younger and older than 50 years.
authors.affiliation: Zavod za patologiju, KB "Dubrava", Zagreb. slambasa@kbd.hr
authors.forename: Smiljka
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Lambasa
authors.forename: Cedna Tomasović
authors.initials: CT
authors.lastname: Loncarić
authors.forename: Zdenko
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Stanec
authors.forename: Karmen Trutin
authors.initials: KT
authors.lastname: Ostović
authors.forename: Simun
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Krizanac
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000473:pathology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008207:Lymphatic Metastasis; D008875:Middle Aged