Characteristics and results of breast cancer in elderly females treated with curative intent

Background: Aging is the main risk factor to acquire breast cancer (BC). Nevertheless BC in elderly patients is sub-represented in clinical trials. Aim: To describe the clinical characteristics and long term treatment results of localized BC in older women. Material and Methods: Review of medical records of 65 women aged 70 to 88 years, with localized BC, treated with surgery, postoperative radiotherapy or systemic therapy at a Clinical Hospital in Chile. Results: The presence of symptoms or abnormal findings on physical examination were the main reasons for consulting in 65% of cases. Compared with tumors detected on physical examination, those detected using screening mammogram were smaller and were in stage 1 with a higher frequency (18 and 59% respectively, p < 0.01). The pathological type was luminal in 80% of cases. Overall survival was better for luminal pathological type. All patients completed radiotherapy without interruptions developing minor acute toxicity. The most common co-morbidity was high blood pressure occurring in 46% of patients. Thirteen percent of patients had three or more co-morbidities. After a median follow up of 7 years, 23 (35%) patients had died and the cause of death was BC in 43% of cases. Two patients died of lung cancer. No patient had a local breast relapse. Conclusions: Screening mammogram in older women detected smaller tumors and it was associated with a better survival. BC is the ultimate cause of death in approximately half of cases.