Changing patterns in the presentation of breast cancer over 25 years

The clinical stage at presentation of 280 women with histologically proven breast cancer is reviewed over a 25 year time span from 1962 to 1987. The data from 240 unscreened patients, including 87 women from the period 1962 to 1963, 103 women from 1981 to 1982, and 50 women from 1986 to 1987 demonstrate a chronologically based improvement in the stage of disease at presentation over the 25 years. Specifically, over that period, there was a fall in the mean tumour diameter, a reduction in the proportion of patients with involved axillary nodes, and a greater percentage of patients with Stages I and II disease. A reduction in the symptomatic period was also noted over this time, and a direct relationship was found between the duration of symptoms and tumour size, nodal status and overall stage of disease. A subsequent comparison with the staging data from 40 women with breast cancer detected at a breast screening clinic (1985-87) shows that significant further advances in the earlier diagnosis of breast cancer can be achieved. Mammographic breast screening centres represent the best-known means of early breast cancer detection, and thus may hold the key to reducing breast cancer mortality.