[Clinical prognostic factors in breast cancer. Retrospective study of 5609 cases]

We studied the clinical factors of metastatic risk of breast cancer in 5609 consecutive cases of unilateral invasive breast cancer, wholly treated and followed at René-Huguenin Center from 1962 to 1988, and without any other cancer (even a controlateral breast cancer). All these patients were protocolary treated; these protocols, especially medical treatments (chimio and hormonotherapy), being modified along with years. At 20 years, the global metastasis free survival was 56%. Clinical size, existence of inflammatory signs, UICC clinical stage, clinical nodal status were highly significant in the Cox multivariate analysis (P < 0.000001). Age (P < 0.0008) and adherence to skin or underlying parietal (P < 0.007) were also but less significant. On the other hand, location of the tumor, time between first signs and diagnosis were not predictive. The women under 35 years had more metastatic locations during their evolution (P < 0.05) and maybe more visceral metastasis (NS).