The lack of age as a significant prognostic factor in nonmetastatic breast cancer

Aims To determine the prognostic significance of age at diagnosis in women with non-metastatic breast cancer. Methods 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. Results 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. Conclusion In this study, age was not a prognostic factor in predicting overall or relapse-free survival in women with breast cancer.