Differences in outcomes between elderly and nonelderly breast cancer patients in Louisiana

Elderly breast cancer patients are diagnosed with a higher stage of disease. They are also found to undergo less surgery, receive more frequently hormonal treatment and have decreased relative survival. The interest of this study was to examine the differences in treatment and survival between elderly versus young (>65 versus <65) patients in Louisiana.

The SEER database was searched, and all cases of female breast cancer in the state of Louisiana between 2000 and 2008 were analyzed. Data were stratified by age group and year of occurrence. The SEER definitions for breast cancer, surgery, chemotherapy, elderly populations, young populations, radiation therapy and breast conservative surgery were applied.

The state prevalence of localized breast cancer is lower compared with the national rate (128.5 versus 144, P < 0.001). The rate of regional breast disease is much higher in Louisiana patients than national average rate (69.7 versus 57.9, P < 0.001). There is no difference in disseminated disease. The elderly group was offered less surgery compared with the young group (11.39% versus 6.68%, P < 0.005). The elderly group received more general radiation interventions than the young group (65.97% versus 53.86%, P < 0.005). Mortality rates for the elderly group were higher in Louisiana compared with the national average. This difference was more remarkable in the >85 age group (127.8 versus 118.5, P < 0.001).

Differences between young and elderly breast cancer patients were observed. Mortality is higher among elderly breast cancer patients in Louisiana compared with the national average. Further studies are needed to review these differences.