The prognostic value of age for 1030 patients with early stage breast cancer after postoperative radiotherapy / 中华放射肿瘤学杂志

ABSTRACT

Objective To analyze the prognostic value of age in patients with early stage breast cancer. Methods The clinical characteristics of 1030 patients with early stage breast cancer (the number of positive axillary lymph nodes was less than 3) were retrospectively reviewed. Of all the patients, 468(stage Ⅰ, n = 227; and stage Ⅱ , n = 241) received breast conserving surgery (BCS) and 562 (stage Ⅰ, n =184; and stage Ⅱ, n= 378) received modified mastectomy. Patients were divided into young-age group (≤35,136 patients), middle-age group (> 35-≤60,738 patients) and old-age group (> 60,156 patients).The number of patients without postoperative radiation therapy after BCS is 16, 60 and 39 in the three groups, respectively. Two-dimensional conventional fractionated radiotherapy was administered. The prognostic value of the tumor size, status of axillary lymph nodes or hormonal receptors, postoperative radiation therapy were analyzed. Results The follow-up rate was 97.86%. Of 795 patients followed up more than 5 years, 110,569 and 116 patients were devided into the three groups, respectively. There were 40, 202 and 87 patients without radiation therapy in the three groups. The 5-year recurrence rates of the three groups were 6. 2%, 8. 7% and 10. 4% (χ2 = 1.14, P= 0.567). The 5-year distant metastasis rates were4.3% , 9.5 % and2. 5% (χ2 = 5.31 , P = 0. 070) . The5 - year survival rates were9l. 2% , 92. 6%and 82. 1% (χ2 = 6. 83, P = 0.033). The young-age group had more tumors smaller than 2. 0 cm (65.4%), less positive axillary lymph nodes (13.2%), poorer differential tumor and less positive hormone acceptors (48.0%). Of patients with tumor larger than 2. 0 cm who had no radiotherapy after BCS, the 5-year survival rates were 94%, 87% and 71% (χ2= 20.69, P= 0.000) in the three groups. The corresponding recurrence rates were 23%, 18% ,7%, (χ2 = 9. 97, P = 0. 007), and distant metastasis rates were23%, 25% and 10% (χ2 =8.51, P=0. 014). Conclusions The age is an important prognostic factor in patients with early stage breast cancer undergoing BCS, but not in those undergoing modified mastectomy.