title: Are breast cancer patients treated with radiotherapy younger now than ten years ago?
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The aim of the present study was to analyze the age of breast cancer patients managed with curative approach at the time of treatment with radiotherapy.
  
  
  BACKGROUND
  Breast cancer is the most frequent neoplasm in women. Little is known with regard to the age of patients at diagnosis, and some authors have suggested that breast cancer is now affecting women who are younger than before.
  
  
  METHODS
  We performed a descriptive study of our series of breast cancer patients from 1998 to 2011. The age of patients, city of residence, year of treatment and uni- or bilateral location were extracted from the administrative database of the Radiation Oncology Department. The demographical and reference populational data were extracted from the Catalan Institute of Statistics.
  
  
  RESULTS
  3382 patients were obtained. The mean age was 57.79 years. No statistical differences were observed in the mean age during the period of study (p > 0.05), nor in patients with bilateral neoplasias with regard to unilateral tumours (p > 0.5). Patients aged less than 30, 40, 50 and 65 years were 0.3%, 6.3%, 27.0% and 69.1%, respectively. The proportion of patients aged less, equal or more than 40 and 50 years was not statistically different.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Breast cancer patients treated with adjuvant radiotherapy after radical surgery have not experienced significant changes in their mean age at treatment. The subgroups of patients that remain out of the mammographic screening programmes were unchanged as well. The observed differences can be explained by demographical disparities and by a probable increase in the indications for adjuvant radiotherapy.
authors.affiliation: Radiation Oncology, Consorci Sanitari de Terrassa, Institut Oncològic del Vallès (CST-HGC-CSPT), Barcelona, Spain.
authors.forename: Marta
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Bonet
authors.affiliation: Unitat d'Epidemiologia, Departament de Salut, IRBLleida, Universitat de Lleida, Lleida, Spain.
authors.forename: Pere
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Godoy
authors.affiliation: Radiation Oncology, Hospital General de Catalunya, Institut Oncològic del Vallès (CST-HGC-CSPT), Barcelona, Spain.
authors.forename: Maria Jose
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: Cambra
authors.affiliation: Radiation Oncology, Consorci Sanitari de Terrassa, Institut Oncològic del Vallès (CST-HGC-CSPT), Barcelona, Spain.
authors.forename: Encarna
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Mur
authors.affiliation: Institut d'Oncologia Radioteràpica, Parc de salut MAR-Universitat Pompeu Fabra, Barcelona, Spain.
authors.forename: Manel
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Algara
authors.affiliation: Medical Oncology, Corporació Sanitària Parc Taulí de Sabadell, Institut Oncològic del Vallès, Barcelona, Spain.
authors.forename: Luis
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Fernandez
authors.affiliation: Medical Oncology, Corporació Sanitària Parc Taulí de Sabadell, Institut Oncològic del Vallès, Barcelona, Spain.
authors.forename: Elsa
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Dalmau
authors.affiliation: Medical Oncology, Hospital de Terrassa, Terrassa, Consorci Sanitari de Terrassa, Institut Oncològic del Vallès, Barcelona, Spain.
authors.forename: Àngels
authors.initials: À
authors.lastname: Arcusa
authors.affiliation: Medical Oncology, Corporació Sanitària Parc Taulí de Sabadell, Institut Oncològic del Vallès, Barcelona, Spain.
authors.forename: Miquel Àngel
authors.initials: MÀ
authors.lastname: Seguí
authors.affiliation: Medical Oncology, Corporació Sanitària Parc Taulí de Sabadell, Institut Oncològic del Vallès, Barcelona, Spain.
authors.forename: Eugeni
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Saigí
authors.affiliation: Medical Oncology, Hospital Universitari Mutua de Terrasa, Terrasa, Spain.
authors.forename: Sònia
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Gonzalez
authors.affiliation: Medical Oncology, Hospital Universitari Mutua de Terrasa, Terrasa, Spain.
authors.forename: Lluís
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Cirera
authors.affiliation: Radiation Oncology, Consorci Sanitari de Terrassa, Institut Oncològic del Vallès (CST-HGC-CSPT), Barcelona, Spain.
authors.forename: Josep Maria
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Solé
keywords: Age; Breast cancer; Epidemiology; Radiation therapy