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Published on: August 19, 2025
Short-term outcomes and mortality in older patients with breast cancer at a single tertiary center
Nora Trabulsi1, Nada AbuBakr Alkhateeb2, Feryal Omar Attiah3
1Department of Surgery, Faculty of Medicine, King Abdulaziz University, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia.
Background:
Breast cancer (BC) affect women worldwide, and with a rising global incidence, it represents a burden on health systems. In Saudi Arabia, the number of cases of BC and its age distribution have notably increased. Despite this increase, data on BC characteristics, management, and outcomes in this demographic are limited.
Methods:
We performed this retrospective descriptive study at King Abdulaziz University Hospital in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, spanning 2008 to 2020. It included older women (60 years or older) diagnosed with primary BC. Data from hospital records included patient demographics, comorbidities, treatments, and short-term outcomes within 30 days of treatment. We aimed to determine the significant associations of patient, disease and treatment factors with length of stay, short-term outcomes, and mortality.
Results:
The study included 115 older female patients with BC, with a mean age of 67 years. Comorbidities such as diabetes (39.1 %) and hypertension (40.9 %) were prevalent. Most patients were diagnosed with stage T2 (49 %) and N1 (42 %) nonmetastatic invasive ductal carcinoma (88.7 %). The recurrence rate was 21 %, while the crude all-cause mortality rate was 20 %. Short-term outcomes showed a 4.35 % readmission rate and a 2.6 % reoperation rate, with an average hospital stay of 3.61 days. Positive surgical margins, type of surgery, and the presence of metastasis significantly predicted extended hospital stays. Smoking was significantly linked to overall morbidities within 30 days.
Conclusion:
This study highlights the unique characteristics and treatment outcomes of older women with BC. Comorbidities, tumor stage, and receptor status are crucial for its management and outcomes. The findings emphasize the need for tailored treatment strategies, in consideration of older patients' distinct profiles. Future research should include comparative analyses with younger cohorts to establish age-specific recommendations and optimize treatment approaches for older women.
