Primary Hormonal Therapy for Elderly Breast Cancer Patients: Single Institution Experience.
OBJECTIVE
Breast cancer is the most frequently diagnosed cancer among women. Up to 50% of breast cancer cases occur in patients over the age of 65 years. Hormonal therapy as a single alternative treatment has been used in this population. The aim of this study was to analyze the oncological outcomes in breast cancer patients who received hormonal therapy alone as a primary treatment.


METHODS
We retrospectively reviewed our database to find all patients with breast cancer from 2006 to 2011 who were treated with hormonal therapy only at our center. The collected data included patients and tumor characteristics, type of drug administered, follow-up details and type of response obtained using RECIST criteria.


RESULTS
We included 44 breast cancer patients. The mean age was 83.5 ± 6.0 years. The majority of patients had tumors with less aggressive immunohistochemical characteristics and 100% of them presented positive estrogen receptors. The pharmacological treatment included exemestane, anastrozole, tamoxifen, letrozole and fulvestrant. The effectiveness rate was 60%, evaluated according to tumor reduction or no progression.


CONCLUSIONS
The efficacy of hormonal therapy in older patients is reasonably high to justify its use in selected patients. Therefore, it is a sensible alternative for patients who refuse or are unfit for surgery.
Gynecologic Oncology Unit, La Paz University Hospital, Madrid, Spain.
Mariana
M
Panal
José I
JI
Sánchez-Mendez
Rocio
R
Revello
Daniel
D
Abehsera
Javier
J
de Santiago
Ignacio
I
Zapardiel
D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000077384:Anastrozole; D000730:Androstadienes / Q000627:therapeutic use; D018931:Antineoplastic Agents, Hormonal / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000737:chemistry / Q000188:drug therapy*; D004958:Estradiol / Q000031:analogs & derivatives / Q000627:therapeutic use; D005260:Female; D000077267:Fulvestrant; D006801:Humans; D000077289:Letrozole; D009570:Nitriles / Q000627:therapeutic use; D011960:Receptors, Estrogen / Q000032:analysis; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D013030:Spain; D013629:Tamoxifen / Q000627:therapeutic use; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D014230:Triazoles / Q000627:therapeutic use
D000730:Androstadienes; D018931:Antineoplastic Agents, Hormonal; D009570:Nitriles; D011960:Receptors, Estrogen; D014230:Triazoles; D013629:Tamoxifen; D000077267:Fulvestrant; D000077384:Anastrozole; D004958:Estradiol; D000077289:Letrozole; C056516:exemestane