Abstract
Elderly cancer patients are generally excluded from entry to clinical trials and often managed inadequately or based on individual experience. We have retrospectively determined tumor detection modality, diagnostic and staging work-up, delay in referral and therapeutic approaches in 341 women with breast cancer aged over 70 years. Fifty-eight per cent of patients were in the 70-75 group of age. Our data suggest that tumor is detected during medical visit or hospitalization for reasons other than breast cancer in 63.1% elderly women with 74.1% of tumors diagnosed on stage I+II disease; the interval between patient's awareness of a breast nodule and first diagnostic and/or therapeutic intervention was less than 3 months in 51.4% and between 3 and 6 months in 20.7% of patients. Most of our patients received adequate treatment although in 18.6%, 26.8% and 18.2% of stage II, III and IV respectively systemic treatment was not administered after surgery. A large proportion (22.3%) of patients received Halsted mastectomy and only 11.1% conservative surgery. We suggest breast examination should be encouraged, screening program should be extended after the age of 70 years and systemic treatment should be evaluated in elderly patients.
| Original language | English |
|---|---|
| Pages (from-to) | 1399-1403 |
| Number of pages | 5 |
| Journal | International Journal of Oncology |
| Volume | 5 |
| Issue number | 6 |
| Publication status | Published - 1994 |
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Keywords
- breast cancer
- elderly
ASJC Scopus subject areas
- Cancer Research
- Oncology
Cite this
Breast cancer in the elderly : Detection and treatment modalities in 341 women. / Repetto, L.; Miglietta, L.; Costantini, M.; Queirolo, P.; Cannata, D.; Pace, M.; Gardin, G.; Guido, T.; Amoroso, D.; Campora, E.; Boccardo, F.; Rosso, R.
In: International Journal of Oncology, Vol. 5, No. 6, 1994, p. 1399-1403.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article
}
TY - JOUR
T1 - Breast cancer in the elderly
T2 - Detection and treatment modalities in 341 women
AU - Repetto, L.
AU - Miglietta, L.
AU - Costantini, M.
AU - Queirolo, P.
AU - Cannata, D.
AU - Pace, M.
AU - Gardin, G.
AU - Guido, T.
AU - Amoroso, D.
AU - Campora, E.
AU - Boccardo, F.
AU - Rosso, R.
PY - 1994
Y1 - 1994
N2 - Elderly cancer patients are generally excluded from entry to clinical trials and often managed inadequately or based on individual experience. We have retrospectively determined tumor detection modality, diagnostic and staging work-up, delay in referral and therapeutic approaches in 341 women with breast cancer aged over 70 years. Fifty-eight per cent of patients were in the 70-75 group of age. Our data suggest that tumor is detected during medical visit or hospitalization for reasons other than breast cancer in 63.1% elderly women with 74.1% of tumors diagnosed on stage I+II disease; the interval between patient's awareness of a breast nodule and first diagnostic and/or therapeutic intervention was less than 3 months in 51.4% and between 3 and 6 months in 20.7% of patients. Most of our patients received adequate treatment although in 18.6%, 26.8% and 18.2% of stage II, III and IV respectively systemic treatment was not administered after surgery. A large proportion (22.3%) of patients received Halsted mastectomy and only 11.1% conservative surgery. We suggest breast examination should be encouraged, screening program should be extended after the age of 70 years and systemic treatment should be evaluated in elderly patients.
AB - Elderly cancer patients are generally excluded from entry to clinical trials and often managed inadequately or based on individual experience. We have retrospectively determined tumor detection modality, diagnostic and staging work-up, delay in referral and therapeutic approaches in 341 women with breast cancer aged over 70 years. Fifty-eight per cent of patients were in the 70-75 group of age. Our data suggest that tumor is detected during medical visit or hospitalization for reasons other than breast cancer in 63.1% elderly women with 74.1% of tumors diagnosed on stage I+II disease; the interval between patient's awareness of a breast nodule and first diagnostic and/or therapeutic intervention was less than 3 months in 51.4% and between 3 and 6 months in 20.7% of patients. Most of our patients received adequate treatment although in 18.6%, 26.8% and 18.2% of stage II, III and IV respectively systemic treatment was not administered after surgery. A large proportion (22.3%) of patients received Halsted mastectomy and only 11.1% conservative surgery. We suggest breast examination should be encouraged, screening program should be extended after the age of 70 years and systemic treatment should be evaluated in elderly patients.
KW - breast cancer
KW - elderly
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=0028080991&partnerID=8YFLogxK
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/citedby.url?scp=0028080991&partnerID=8YFLogxK
M3 - Article
AN - SCOPUS:0028080991
VL - 5
SP - 1399
EP - 1403
JO - International Journal of Oncology
JF - International Journal of Oncology
SN - 1019-6439
IS - 6
ER -