The lack of age as a significant prognostic factor in non-metastatic breast cancer

To determine the prognostic significance of age at diagnosis in women with non-metastatic breast cancer.

A retrospective review of all newly diagnosed breast cancer in women between 1975 and 1991 was carried out at a tertiary Oncology Referral Centre. Patients were divided into three age groups: < 40 years, 40-50 years and > 50 years. Demographic and management/outcome details were collected from patients with UICC stages I-III. The effect of age on overall and relapse free survival was analysed by standard statistical methods.

Of 1289 new cases registered during the study period, 710 (55%) were UICC stages I-III. Of the latter group 250 (35%) women were in the age group of less than 40 years, 237 (33%) were between 40 and 50 years and 223 (32%) were older than 50 years. Women from the younger age group had a higher proportion of breast-conserving surgery, and adjuvant chemo- and radiation therapy, while the proportion of hormone therapy usage was higher in older women. There was no difference in overall survival (P = 0.64) and relapse-free survival (P = 0.53) between the three age groups.

In this study, age was not a prognostic factor in predicting overall or relapse-free survival in women with breast cancer.