Elevated Breast Cancer Mortality in Women Younger than Age 40 Years Compared with Older Women Is Attributed to Poorer Survival in Early-Stage Disease

2009 ◽  
Vol 20 (4) ◽  
pp. 371-372
Author(s):  
M.A. Chung
2020 ◽  
Vol 6 (Supplement_1) ◽  
pp. 49-49
Author(s):  
Euridice R. Irving ◽  
Dennis R. A. Mans ◽  
Els Th. M. Dams ◽  
Maureen Y. Lichtveld

PURPOSE Delays across the entire cancer care continuum are not uncommon. This cross-sectional study explored the health care trajectories of Surinamese women with breast cancer and identified predictors of timely diagnosis and treatment initiation. METHODS One hundred women age 30 years or older who were newly diagnosed with breast cancer in 2017 to 2018 were recruited from all 4 hospitals in Paramaribo. Data on their demographics, lifestyle, reproductive and medical history, health status, and family history of breast cancer and other malignancies were collected using a validated semistructured questionnaire. Using Anderson’s Model of Pathways to Treatment, we defined a patient interval (from detection to first consultation), diagnostic interval (from consultation to histopathologic diagnosis), and treatment interval (from diagnosis to first treatment). Log-transformed data were analyzed using linear regression, and variables with P ≤ .05 were considered statistically significant predictors of intervals. RESULTS All participants had health insurance and access to health care. Eighty-five percent of patients presented with early-stage disease. Ninety percent of patients had self-detected their disease, with 70% finding a lump. Average age was 55.6 years (± 11.8 years). Median durations of patient, diagnostic, and treatment intervals were 13 days (interquartile, range, 4-63 days), 40 days (IQR, 21-57 days), and 18 days (IQR, 8-38 days), respectively. Median duration of the entire interval was 95 days (IQR, 59-272 days). Patient-related factors associated with the intervals were religion (β = −530; P = .003), being employed (β = 149.4; P = .007), and age 50 years and older (β = −195.8; P = .037). Disease-related factors were lump as first symptom (β = −175.6; P = .038) and late-stage disease at diagnosis (β = 213.5; P = .004). CONCLUSION Given the limited-resource setting, delays in Suriname’s health care can be minimized by programs aimed at increasing breast cancer awareness and education; however, delays may have been underestimated as a result of the over-representation of early-stage disease and recall bias regarding the first symptom detected.


2007 ◽  
Vol 25 (21) ◽  
pp. 3001-3006 ◽  
Author(s):  
Timothy L. Lash ◽  
Matthew P. Fox ◽  
Diana S.M. Buist ◽  
Feifei Wei ◽  
Terry S. Field ◽  
...  

Purpose There are more than 2,000,000 breast cancer survivors in the United States today. While surveillance for asymptomatic recurrence and second primary is included in consensus recommendations, the effectiveness of this surveillance has not been well characterized. Our purpose is to estimate the effectiveness of surveillance mammography in a cohort of breast cancer survivors with complete ascertainment of surveillance mammograms and negligible losses to follow-up. Patients and Methods We enrolled 1,846 stage I and II breast cancer patients who were at least 65 years old at six integrated health care delivery systems. We used medical record review and existing databases to ascertain patient, tumor, and therapy characteristics, as well as receipt of surveillance mammograms. We linked personal identifiers to the National Death Index to ascertain date and cause of death. We matched four controls to each breast cancer decedent to estimate the association between receipt of surveillance mammogram and breast cancer mortality. Results One hundred seventy-eight women died of breast cancer during 5 years of follow-up. Each additional surveillance mammogram was associated with a 0.69-fold decrease in the odds of breast cancer mortality (95% CI, 0.52 to 0.92). The protective association was strongest among women with stage I disease, those who received mastectomy, and those in the oldest age group. Conclusion Given existing recommendations for post-therapy surveillance, trials to compare surveillance with no surveillance are unlikely. This large observational study provides support for the recommendations, suggesting that receipt of surveillance mammograms reduces the rate of breast cancer mortality in older patients diagnosed with early-stage disease.


2019 ◽  
Author(s):  
Hikmat Abdel-Razeq ◽  
Fadwa Abdel Rahman ◽  
Hanan Al-Masri ◽  
Hazem Abdulelah ◽  
Mahmoud Abu Nasser ◽  
...  

Abstract Background : Less than 10% of newly diagnosed breast cancer in our region are diagnosed in women 70 years or older. Treatment plans of such patients is less clear and have poor outcomes. In this paper, we describe clinical presentation, tumor characteristics and treatment outcomes in such patients. Methods : Consecutive patients aged 65 years or older with pathologically-confirmed diagnosis of breast cancer were included. Medical records and hospital databases were searched for patients’ characteristics and treatment outcomes. Results : A total of 553 patients, median age 70 (range: 65-91) years, were included. On presentation, 114 (20.6%) patients had metastatic disease and was mostly visceral (81; 71.1%). Patients with non-metastatic disease had poor pathological features including node-positive in 244 (55.6%), GIII in 170 (38.7%) and lymphovascular invasion in 173 (39.4%). Patients were treated less aggressively; 144 (32.8%) patients with early-stage disease and 98 (86.0%) with metastatic disease never had chemotherapy. After a median follow up of 45 months, 5-year overall survival for the whole group was 67.6%. Survival was better for patients with non-metastatic disease (78.8% vs. 25.4%, P<0.001) and for those with node-negative compared to node-positive disease (85.4% vs. 74.1%, P=0.002). On Cox regression, only positive lymph nodes were associated with poor outcome in patients with non-metastatic disease (Hazard Ratio [HR], 1.75; 95% CI: 1.006-3.034, P=0.048). Conclusions : Older Jordanian women with breast cancer present with more aggressive features and advanced-stage disease that reflect poorly on treatment outcomes. Because of comorbidities and poor performance status, some patients were not aggressively treated.


2009 ◽  
Vol 27 (15_suppl) ◽  
pp. 1526-1526
Author(s):  
R. Haque ◽  
J. E. Schottinger ◽  
M. H. Kanter ◽  
C. C. Avila ◽  
R. Contreras ◽  
...  

1526 Background: Kaiser Permanente Southern California (KPSC) led the nation in screening women for breast cancer (BCa) with a mammography rate of nearly 90% in 2007 according to 2008 Healthcare Effectiveness Data and Information Set (HEDIS) measures. Despite successes in improving screening rates in this health plan that serves 3+ million diverse members, the percentage of women diagnosed with late stage BCa (stage III, IV) remained stable, varying from 12.9% (N∼323) in 2003 to 10.8% (N∼270) in 2007. To identify patient and health care factors associated with late stage diagnosis and the impact of its enhanced screening implementation guidelines, KPSC undertook this study. Methods: This cross-sectional study included a cohort of 10,580 BCa patients from 2003–2007. We compared women diagnosed with late stage disease versus those with early stage disease (stages I, II). P values (2-sided) were based on the chi-square distribution. Adjusted odds ratios and 95% confidence intervals were estimated using unconditional logistic regression. Results: Factors that were positively associated with late stage diagnosis in the univariate analyses included age, lack of recent mammography screening, worse tumor features, 80+ years of age, minority race, lower geocoded household income, increased healthcare visits, and use of Pap testing (P < 0.01 for all variables). Factors significantly associated with late stage diagnosis in the multivariate model included only lack of recent mammography screening (OR = 1.35, 95% CI: 1.14–1.58) and worse tumor features including high grade (grade 3, OR = 2.58, 95% CI: 1.96–3.40), positive lymph nodes (OR = 53.49, 95% CI: 39.90–71.72), and HER-2+ tumors (OR = 1.40, 95% CI: 1.13–1.72). Conclusions: Targeting older women, those with lower utilization, and women who did not have a recent mammogram may help further lower the prevalence of late stage diagnoses. However, given the extent of the health plan's previous efforts to enhance BCa screening rates, a ceiling effect may limit additional benefit. Additional efforts to decrease the rate of advanced tumor stage at diagnosis may include improving interpretation of mammograms or earlier detection of aggressive tumors by enhanced BRCA genetic testing. No significant financial relationships to disclose.


2017 ◽  
Vol 35 (5_suppl) ◽  
pp. 209-209
Author(s):  
Mats Lambe ◽  
Paul Lambert ◽  
Irma Fredriksson ◽  
Anna Plym

209 Background: More than half of all women with breast cancer are diagnosed during working age. We present a new measure of clinical and public health relevance to estimate the loss in working years after a breast cancer diagnosis. Methods: Women of working age diagnosed with breast cancer between 1997 and 2012 were identified in the Breast Cancer Data Base Sweden (N = 19,661), together with a breast cancer-free comparison cohort (N = 81,303). Women were followed until permanent exit from the labour market (defined as receipt of disability pension, old-age retirement or death) or censoring. Using flexible parametric survival modelling, the loss in working years was calculated as the difference in the remaining years in the work force between women with and women without breast cancer. Results: The loss in working years was most pronounced in women of younger ages and in women with advanced stage disease. Women aged 50 years at diagnosis with stage I disease lost on average 0.6 years (95% CI, 0.4-0.8) of their remaining working time; the corresponding estimates were 1.2 years (1.0-1.5) in stage II, 3.2 years (2.7-3.7) in stage III, and 8.8 years (7.9-9.8) in stage IV disease. Type of treatment was a clear determinant in women with early stage disease, with a higher loss in working years among women treated with axillary surgery, mastectomy and chemotherapy. Conclusions: Our measure provides a new perspective of the burden of breast cancer in women of working age. The modest loss in working years in women with early stage disease is reassuring, although the economic consequences on a population-level are likely to be high given the large number of women diagnosed with breast cancer every year.


2018 ◽  
Vol 2018 ◽  
pp. 1-5 ◽  
Author(s):  
Aisling Barry ◽  
Anthony Fyles

Stereotactic ablative body radiotherapy (SABR) has a role as definitive therapy in many tumor sites; however, its role in the treatment of breast cancer is less well explored. Currently, SABR has been investigated in the neoadjuvant and adjuvant setting with a number of ongoing feasibility studies. However, its use comes with a number of radiobiological and technical challenges that require further evaluation. We have learned much from other extracranial disease sites such as lung, brain, and spine, where definitive treatment with SABR has shown encouraging outcomes. In women with breast cancer, SABR may eliminate the need for invasive surgery, reducing healthcare costs and hospital stays and providing an additional curative option for early-stage disease. This poses the following question: is there a role for SABR as a definitive therapy in breast cancer?


2019 ◽  
Vol 92 (1103) ◽  
pp. 20190660 ◽  
Author(s):  
Almir GV Bitencourt ◽  
Carolina Rossi Saccarelli ◽  
Christiane Kuhl ◽  
Elizabeth A Morris

Breast cancer screening is widely recognized for reducing breast cancer mortality. The objective in screening is to diagnose asymptomatic early stage disease, thereby improving treatment efficacy. Screening recommendations have been widely debated over the past years and controversies remain regarding the optimal screening frequency, age to start screening, and age to end screening. While there are no new trials, follow-up information of randomized controlled trials has become available. The American College of Physicians recently issued a new guidance statement on screening for breast cancer in average-risk women, with similar recommendations to the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force and to European guidelines. However, these guidelines differ from those ofother American specialty societies. The variations reflect differences in the organizations’ values, the metrics used to evaluate screening results, and the differences in healthcare organization (individualized or state-organized healthcare). False-positive rates and overdiagnosis of biologically insignificant cancer are perceived as the most important potential harms associated with mammographic screening; however, there is limited evidence on their actual consequences. Most specialty societies agree that physicians should offer mammographic screening at age 40 years for average-risk women and discuss its benefits and potential harms to achieve a personalized screening strategy through a shared decision-making process.


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